bourgault was also interested in historical figures, notably fellow bretons, and in collecting and editing breton folk music, of which he was a pioneer. he wrote operas dealing with both vasco da gama and anne of brittany. he wrote many other operas, choral works and orchestral music and published several collections of folksongs, mainly greek, breton, irish, welsh, and scottish. among his final compositions was a mass. he also wrote a biography of franz schubert. bourgault's primary librettist was louis gallet.