First public performance of Ravel's Shéhérazade overture

Background. Shéhérazade, ouverture de féerie, was written in 1898 as a planned overture for an opera. It is Ravel's earliest surviving orchestral work. Although composed in 1898, it remained unpublished during the composer's lifetime, only appearing in print in 1975. The piece was intended to introduce an opera of the same name, establishing its context as an orchestral introduction rather than a standalone concert piece.

Critical Reception. The premiere was not well received. Contemporary accounts describe a mixed audience reaction, with boos mingling with applause. Critics provided unflattering reviews, contributing to the work's lack of popularity. Despite being Ravel's earliest surviving orchestral piece, the negative reception prevented it from becoming one of his most popular works, unlike his later compositions.

Performance Context. The first public performance occurred at a concert of the Société Nationale de Musique. The composer himself conducted the orchestra. This event is distinct from the later premiere of the Shéhérazade song cycle, which occurred in 1904 with soprano Jeanne Hatto and conductor Alfred Cortot, confirming the separation of the two works.