Phaéton, symphonic poem in C major, op. 39

Phaéton (Phaethon), Op. 39, is a symphonic poem for orchestra, composed by Camille Saint-Saëns in 1873. It is the second in his genre's tetralogy, preceded by Le Rouet d'Omphale and followed by Danse macabre and La jeunesse d'Hercule. The work was premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet on 7 December 1873, performed by the Concert National conducted by Édouard Colonne. Despite its initial cool reception, the work has managed to remain in the borders of the repertoire, but is largely overshadowed in popularity by Danse Macabre.