Conducted by Capt. W. A. Featherstone
The Athalie in question is the tragedy of Racine. Mendelssohn wrote music for a performance of it in Berlin over eighty years ago. One piece from it. The War March of the Priests, is well known. The Overture is less frequently heard.
Delibes (1836-01) made his name as a successful composer of Ballets and short Comic Operas, but he was anxious to do more serious work. so he attempted a long opera, in three Acts, Le Roi la Dit. It had fair success - more in Germany than in France, which is rather unusual for a French work.