Lili Boulanger

Marie-Juliette Olga 'Lili' Boulanger was a French composer, notable as the first female winner of the Prix de Rome composition prize. Born to a musical family in Paris, she displayed prodigious musical talent from a young age. Boulanger won the esteemed prize in 1913 for her cantata 'Faust et Hélène.' Despite chronic health issues, which she battled from childhood, she produced a wealth of works, including choral pieces, songs, and an unfinished opera. Her tragically short life, ending at 24, was marked by her vibrant compositions, which contributed to the post-Romantic and Symbolist movements【21†source】.