The first performance of her compositions on April 21, 1850, at the concert hall of the Royal Theatre in Berlin was described by the renowned Vossische Zeitung as "a unique event in world history." It marked the beginning of an unprecedented career, during which Emilie Mayer became Europe's greatest female composer. Her work uniquely combines quality and quantity; she composed eight symphonies alone. Against the prevailing gender model that denied women any creativity by nature, the modest yet determined Emilie Mayer made her way in the male-dominated music industry. Music critics showered her with praise. Yet, Emilie Mayer experienced what all female composers faced: after her death in 1883, her works disappeared from concert programs. It is only recently that they have been rediscovered. Barbara Beuys presents the first comprehensive biography of this century's composer. The focus is on Emilie Mayer's personality, embedded in the panorama of her time. Barbara Beuys has uncovered new traces that sharpen Emilie Mayer's profile and provide deeper insights into her environment, such as her friendship with the family of the famous historian Leopold von Ranke.