Chiquinha Gonzaga

Lore & Background

Chiquinha Gonzaga was born in Rio de Janeiro to a pardo mother and a wealthy white father who later became a marshal. Her godfather was Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias. She was well educated, learning to read, write, do maths, and play the piano. At age 11, she composed her first work, 'Canção dos Pastores', for a Christmas celebration. Unable to withstand his abuse and opposition to her musical career, she left him and asked for divorce, a scandal at the time. She took her eldest son, João Gualberto, but lost custody of her other two children. To avoid scandal, she adopted him as a son and they lived together in Lisbon for several years before returning to Brazil.

Reader's Guide

Chiquinha Gonzaga’s significance stems from her role as a pioneering female musician in 19th-century Brazil, a society that strictly limited women’s independence. She broke multiple barriers, becoming the first woman conductor in the country and the first pianist of choro, a genre then dominated by men. Her career was marked by notable firsts: she composed the first carnival march, “Ó Abre Alas” (1899), and her theatrical works, such as *Forrobodó* and *Jurití*, achieved great public success by incorporating elements of Brazilian popular culture. Gonzaga’s personal life was fraught with hardship. Forced into an arranged marriage at 16, she endured abuse and left her husband, a scandalous act that led her father to declare her “dead and of unpronounceable name.” She lost custody of two younger children, and later, after a relationship with an engineer, lost custody of another daughter. Despite this, she supported herself and her eldest son by playing piano in music stores and giving lessons, defying societal critics who condemned her for raising a child without a husband. She also entered the male-dominated world of “chorões” gatherings, joining the flautist Joaquim Antônio da Silva Callado’s group as its first female member. Late in life, she formed a relationship with a much younger Portuguese musician, whom she adopted as a son to avoid scandal. Her resilience and artistic output, including polkas, waltzes, and tangos, paved the way for later generations of Brazilian musicians.

Did You Know?

• Chiquinha Gonzaga was the first woman conductor in Brazil.
• She was the first pianist of choro, a genre then dominated by men.
• She composed the first carnival march, 'Ó Abre Alas'.
• At age 11, she composed her first work, 'Canção dos Pastores', for a Christmas celebration.
• Her godfather was Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias.