One of greatest French romantic composers, Georges Bizet started his career as piano child prodigy. Bizet’s first teachers were his parents. Due to his proven talent Bizet was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire before age 10. In 1857 Bizet won the coveted Prix de Rome. Bizet’s compositions had very cool reception including the first performance of Carmen, now universally considered as one of the greatest operas ever composed. Bizet refused a position at the Conservatoire and supported himself by arranging other composers’ works. T age 37 Bizet suffered 2 heart attacks and died just when Carmen and his other compositions began their enormous international fame.