Born in Dieuze, son of a baker, and after studying at the Conservatoire de Lille entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1881. He studied composition with Jules Massenet and in 1887 won the Prix de Rome for his cantata Didon. During his time in Rome thanks to the prize, he composed the piece orchestral Impressions d'Italie and began work on the libretto and the music of what would become his most famous work, the opera Louise.
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