Charpentier first studied at the Lille Conservatory, sponsored by his employer, to whom he had taught the violin. His success there led to a stipend by the people of his home town, Tourcoing, which enabled him to enter the Paris Conservatoire. There he developed a passion for the bohemian lifestyle and a dislike of authority. This led to a conflict with his violin teacher and Charpentier was forced to leave the school for a time, only to return later to study with Massenet and win the Prix de Rome in 1887. While in Rome he created many of the seeds for his future body of work, especially that of his most famous, Louise. After many revisions the opera was performed in 1900 and enjoyed much success, possibly due to its subject matter of women's liberation, the first of its kind. All of his works are of contemporary or literary subject matter and were performed before the verismo works of Puccini and Mascagni were staged. Although he claimed that he composed by inspiration, the influences of Wagner, Gounod and Berlioz can be heard. ~ Lynn Vought, Rovi