So the idea of writing a Japanese piece occurred to us.

We submitted the idea to du Locle, but he was afraid of an entirely Japanese stage setting.

He wanted us to soften the Japanese part, and it was he, I think, who had the idea of making it half Japanese and half Dutch, the way the slight work _La Princesse Jaune_ was cast.
That was only a beginning and in our daily talks we sketched the most audacious projects.

The leading concerts of the time did not balk at performing large vocal works, as they too often do to-day to the great detriment of the variety of their programmes.

We then thought that we were at the beginning of the prosperity of French oratorio which only needed encouragement to flourish.