“The central idea of “Phaéton” is pride, as the central idea of “Le Rouet d’Omphale” is lust.”<br>
(Camille Saint-Saëns)<br>
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Phaéton was premiered by Édouard Colonne on 7 December 1873 in the Théâtre du Châtelet. His source for the story of Phaeton was probably Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”. Phaeton was permitted to drive the chariot of the Sun god, his father, through the sky. But his unskilled hands lost control of the horses. The flaming chariot was thrown off course and came close to the earth.  The whole universe would have gone up in flames if Jupiter had not struck down the foolish Phaeton with his thunderbolt.<br>
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With his four symphonic poems, Camille Saint-Saëns placed himself firmly in the tradition of Hector Berlioz and Franz Liszt. The first critical editions offer an opportunity for new interpretations based on authoritative primary sources.<br>
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