When he was young, his father took him to France, where he was educated. During the French Revolution, the younger Saint-Georges served as a colonel of the Légion St.-Georges, the first all-black regiment in Europe, fighting on the side of the Republic. Today the Chevalier de Saint-Georges is best remembered as the first known classical composer of African ancestry. He composed numerous string quartets and other instrumental pieces, as well as operas. The first critical edition of his lone surviving opera, "L'Amant anonyme" ("The Anonymous Lover"), was prepared by Opera Ritrovata for streaming performance by Los Angeles Opera and the Colburn School in November 2020.