Charles Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921) was a French composer, conductor, pianist, organist and music critic of the Romantic period. He was a child prodigy and made his debut as a pianist at the age of 10. He wrote more than 300 compositions, and his best-known works include the Concerto No. 1 for Cello, Concerto No. 2 for Piano, Concerto No. 3 for Violin, Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, the opera Samson and Delilah, and the Third ("Organ") Symphony.