Peter Benoit

Peter Benoit (1834–1901) was a Flemish composer, conductor, and essayist who sought to establish a distinct Flemish school of music. A student of Fétis at the Brussels Conservatoire, he won the Belgian Prix de Rome in 1857, which enabled him to travel through Germany. His works include operas such as Het Dorp in ’t Gebergte and Isa, sacred music including Cantate de Noël and Drama Christi, and large-scale oratorios such as De Schelde and Lucifer. Benoit also wrote extensively on musical aesthetics. He was a member of the Royal Academy of Belgium and received high honors such as Commander in the Order of Leopold. Today, his legacy is preserved at the Peter Benoit Huis in Harelbeke.