Chiquinha Gonzaga: A Brazilian Woman Composer Is Born

Francisca Edwiges Neves Gonzaga was born in Rio de Janeiro, on October 17, 1847. Her mother was a freed black woman slave and her father was a high-ranking military man, who educated her to be a court lady. She was taught how to read and write, and learned mathematics, religion, and how to play the piano. Since she was a child, music had been calling and at the age of eleven, she composed her first music piece for a Christmas party.

Chiquinha was sixteen when she married a promising entrepreneur, chosen by her father. Her husband did not like music and considered the piano to be his rival. Chiquinha did not accept the restrictions to her music and left her husband for another man. The adultery was the cause of a life-long divorce lawsuit filed by her husband at the Ecclesiastical Court. Abandoned by her father as well, at the age of eighteen Chiquinha was forced to teach piano classes for a living.

Her first edited piece, the polka song Atraente in 1877, was a huge success. In just a few months, there were 15 editions.

Determination and courage made Chiquinha take part in the great social battles of her time, mainly the abolition of slavery. She used to sell sheet music of her compositions to raise funds for the cause.

She was already a famous artist in 1899 when she composed, at the turn of the century, Ó Abre Alas, in a style called "marcha-rancho". The song became an anthem of the Brazilian carnival.

Chiquinha Gonzaga composed dozens of plays in the most varied genres. The operetta Forrobodó premiered in 1912 and was a huge success: 1,500 consecutive representations.

In 1914, her tango Gaúcho was played by the first lady of the country, Nair de Teffé, in an official reception at the Palácio do Catete, which caused a scandal, but redeemed the popular genres.

Chiquinha Gonzaga was a composer of great success in a time when there was no law to protect the composer's rights. She created the first society for copyright protection in Brazil: the Brazilian Society of Theatrical Authors (SBAT).

Chiquinha had long lived in the company of Joãozinho (João Batista Fernandes Lage), who was 36 years younger than her. Later called João Batista Gonzaga, he was known as her adopted son. We owe him the preservation of her legacy. Gonzaga passed away, at the age of 87 in Rio de Janeiro on February 28, 1935.