Chiquinha Gonzaga
Francisca Edwiges Neves Gonzaga (October 17, 1847 Rio de Janeiro - February 28, 1935 Rio de Janeiro) was a Brazilian composer, pianist and conductor. She was the first 'choro' pianist, author of the first carnival march ("Ô Abre Alas", 1899) and also the first woman to conduct an orchestra in Brazil. Chiquinha Gonzaga was born in Rio de Janeiro, from a mulatto mother and a wealthy white father– after she was born her father became Marshal. She fought for the end of slavery in Brazil. Gonzaga received an education that would ordinarily have lead her to be a “sinhazinha”, a .