The most prestigious award given to composers in all of France, the Prix de Rome was established in 1803—and for 110 years, it was won exclusively by men, including musical giants like Hector Berlioz, Georges Bizet, and Claude Debussy.
When Lili Boulanger, at the age of 19, captured the Premier Grand Prix with her cantata, Faust et Hélène. her triumph made international headlines and became a symbol for women's professional advancement around the globe.
Her victory mirrored her father, Ernest Boulanger, who had won the exact same prize in 1835 at the age of 20. Her older sister, Nadia Boulanger, had previously tried to win the prize but only placed second in 1908
Winning the Prix de Rome, as was the tradition, earned Lili Boulanger a subsidized residency at the Villa Medici in Rome and secured her a lucrative publishing contract. Though her time in Rome was cut short by the outbreak of World War I, and her life tragically ended at age 24 due to chronic illness, her historic victory would forever alter the landscape for female classical composers.
We'll remember Lili Boulenger with her Prix de Rome-winning cantata on this afternoon's Classical Music with Foley Schuler.
You can hear Foley Schuler's musical selections—and stories behind the music—every weekday afternoon from 1 until 4 on Blue Lake Public Radio.
