Leader, Frank Thomas
Conductor, Idris Lewis
Clifford Deri (baritone)

Jules Massenet (1842-1912) was a distinguished French composer who exercised considerable influence during his day. In addition to a number of operas, which became very popular in France, he wrote a fair quantity of orchestral music, particularly light orchestral suites such as the 'Picturesque Scenes'. The most outstanding characteristics of Massenet's music are the grace and charm of his melodic invention and the clarity and effectiveness of his orchestration.
The Overture Phedre was written for Racine's tragedy in the production of 1900.