 In 1856 Bizet competed for the prestigious Prix de Rome . His entry was not successful , but nor were any of the others ; the musician 's prize was not awarded that year . After this rebuff Bizet entered an opera competition which Jacques Offenbach had organised for young composers , with a prize of 1 @,@ 200 francs . The challenge was to set the one @-@ act libretto of Le docteur Miracle by Léon Battu and Ludovic Halévy . The prize was awarded jointly to Bizet and Charles Lecocq , a compromise which years later Lecocq criticised on the grounds of the jury 's manipulation by Fromental Halévy in favour of Bizet . As a result of his success Bizet became a regular guest at Offenbach 's Friday evening parties , where among other musicians he met the aged Gioachino Rossini , who presented the young man with a signed photograph . Bizet was a great admirer of Rossini 's music , and wrote not long after their first meeting that " Rossini is the greatest of them all , because like Mozart , he has all the virtues " . 
