Musical history is littered with the corpses of composers who went out of fashion, and one of opera’s prime examples is Massenet. A conservative composing in the French grand opera tradition of Meyerbeer and Gounod, his later works must have seemed pretty staid compared to contemporary shockers like Salome, Elektra and the rise of Schoenberg. No wonder then that, despite box office success in his day, he all but disappeared from the stage after his death save for stagings of his two biggest hitters, Manon and Werther.

Recent years have seen a revival in his fortunes, however. A reassessment of his output shows a musical eclectic whose work ranged from epic historical blockbusters like Le Cid and Esclarmonde to domestic dramas like Thérèse and thoughtful comedies like Don Quichotte and his witty Cendrillon. Thaïs is in some ways typical of his ‘forgotten’ works. Tuneful, richly scored, it’s a very pleasant listen, and its story holds the attention, but it could be argued it lacks the crucial ingredients for lasting operatic success, namely a conventional romantic storyline.

Nevertheless, thanks to champions like Beverly Sills, Leontyne Price and Renée Fleming, it has made a comeback of sorts, and Opera Australia’s concert performances give...