This dissertation is the first study of François Campion’s (1686-1747) Avantures Pastorales Op.3 (1719), a collection of airs, interspersed within a connecting narrative. The story is a retelling of the myth of Damon and Philis, while the fifty-two interspersed airs are typical for the genre in the early-eighteenth century and provide emotional depth and commentary on the protagonists’ relationship. The dissertation features a critical analysis of the music, context and plot, alongside a critical edition. I will argue that although the Ballard firm held monopoly over the air publishing business, Campion found a market niche in the wealthy Parisian salons by publishing Avantures Pastorales in an innovative and creative format. He repackaged a very familiar product by adding a continuous, connecting narrative based on an ancient love myth to a collection of airs. In my guide for staging and performance, I argue that this collection would have had great appeal and most likely could have been performed at one of the Parisian salons, or in another intimate domestic context. The air had a central place during salon gatherings, as its performance allowed participants to express emotions of passionate love and courting that were socially prohibited in conversation. I also provide incipits and annotations that reveal the airs to be stylistically generic. Analyzing the expressed affects, however, showed that a rich representation of emotions complement and enhance the story, while also compensating for the overall quality of the music. I argue that the collection takes approximately three hours to perform and can be staged with a minimum of four singers, one narrator, and a harpsichord. In the Appendices, I provide a transcription, translation and a critical performing edition of Avantures Pastorales. This dissertation fills an important gap in the literature on François Campion and contributes to a complete picture of the history of the French air. / Graduate