Raquel Paixão and Elisa Lucinda reimagine the life of Brazil’s first female conductor in a musical journey blending art, memory, and activism.
The scenic recital “Chiquinha Gonzaga and Her Legacy” brings to life the story of a woman who transformed Brazilian music. Sponsored by Rio de Janeiro’s State Department of Culture and Creative Economy (Secec/RJ), the show tours São João de Meriti on March 9 and Rio de Janeiro on April 1, with free admission.
Performed by pianist and actress Raquel Paixão, with stage direction by Elisa Lucinda and musical direction by Maria Teresa Madeira, the recital features a repertoire entirely composed by Chiquinha Gonzaga. It bridges music and theater, re-examining the composer’s life through the lens of race, gender, and artistic freedom.
“All women are heirs to the paths Chiquinha Gonzaga opened,” says director Elisa Lucinda.
Paixão highlights her connection to Chiquinha after learning about the composer’s Black heritage: “As a Black pianist in classical music, I often felt isolated. Discovering her story made me feel I belonged.”
The production reclaims Chiquinha’s place as more than a composer—it celebrates her as an abolitionist and trailblazer. Known for pioneering Brazil’s musical identity, she was the first professional female musician and an active campaigner for freedom, using proceeds from her works to buy enslaved people’s emancipation.
“Chiquinha Gonzaga and Her Legacy” invites audiences to rediscover her music as a living force of resistance, education, and cultural pride.
Service
Show: Chiquinha Gonzaga and Her Legacy
São João de Meriti: March 9, 4 p.m. – R. Panamense, 23-76, Jardim Meriti
Rio de Janeiro: April 1, 3 p.m. – Firjan Sesi Centro, Av. Graça Aranha, 1
Free admission
Photo: Divulgação
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