In 1913, the French composer Lili Juliette Boulanger became the first woman composer to win the prestigious Prix de Rome for her cantata Faust et Hélène. The nineteen-year-old Frenchwoman dedicated this vocal-symphonic musical canvas to her sister, the legendary composer and pianist Nadia Boulanger. A paraphrase of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s story of Doctor Faust, the composition focuses on the moment when Faust, persuaded by Méphistophélès, asks to see Helen of Troy. In this score, the remarkably tasteful, delicate and at the same time sophisticated orchestration, the colourful combination of voices and instruments and the nostalgic beauty of the melodies allow the listener to enjoy a multi- layered soundscape.

Performance features the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Jonathan Berman, Eglė Wyss as Helen (mezzo-soprano), Mindaugas Jankauskas as Faust (tenor) and Romanas Kudriašovas as Méphistophélès (baritone).