Delfina de la Cruz Zañartu (24 February 1837 Concepción, Chile – 8 May 1905 Concepción, Chile) was a Chilean

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

and

First Lady of Chile The First Lady of Chile ( es, Primera Dama de Chile) is the title for the wife of the president of Chile, who is traditionally responsible for directing and coordinating activities in the social field of the presidency and also accompany the pres ...

. She was the only child of General

José María de la Cruz General José María de la Cruz Prieto ( Concepción, March 25, 1799 – November 23, 1875) was a Chilean soldier. The son of Luis de la Cruz and of Josefa Prieto Sotomayor, and was a cousin of future presidents José Joaquín Prieto and Manuel ...

and his wife Josefa Zañartu, and granddaughter of Chilean revolutionary Luis de la Cruz.

First Lady of Chile

De la Cruz became engaged to Aníbal Pinto after he returned from a long trip in Europe, and they married on 24 November 1855 in Concepción. The marriage had political undertones; Pinto's father,

Francisco Antonio Pinto Francisco Antonio Pinto y Díaz de la Puente (; July 23, 1785 – July 18, 1858) was a Chilean politician who served as President of Chile between 1827 and 1829. Early life He was born in Santiago, the son of Joaquín Pinto and Mercedes D ...

, former President of Chile, felt that the marriage would help to heal the relationship between the cities of Concepción and

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whos ...

. Animosity had arisen between the cities as a result of the 1851 Chilean Revolution, during which uprisings had taken place in Concepción against the central government based in Santiago. The marriage would create a familial link between de la Cruz's father, José Maria de la Cruz and Pinto's brother-in-law, Manuel Bulnes, who had fought against each other in the Battle of Loncomilla. Pinto was elected President of Chile in 1876, and de la Cruz accompanied him to all government ceremonies, even inspecting the troops in his company during the

War of the Pacific The War of the Pacific ( es, link=no, Guerra del Pacífico), also known as the Saltpeter War ( es, link=no, Guerra del salitre) and by multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884. Fought ...

. De la Cruz was related by marriage to two other First Ladies of Chile: Enriqueta Pinto, Pinto's sister and wife of Manuel Bulnes, and Luisa Garmendia, Pinto's mother and wife of Fransico Antonio Pinto.

Musical Composition

De la Cruz was an accomplished pianist and composer. Under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

Delfina Perez, de la Cruz published 12 works throughout the 19th century, surpassed in volume only by

Isidora Zegers Isidora Zegers Montenegro (also known as Isidora Zegers de Huneeus or Isidora Zegers; 1 January 1803 – 14 July 1869) was a Spanish musician and composer. She is known for her contributions to Chilean culture during the 19th century. Biography I ...

. Her work was praised by local press in

Valparaíso Valparaíso (; ) is a major city, seaport, naval base, and educational centre in the commune of Valparaíso, Chile. "Greater Valparaíso" is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Valparaíso is located about northwest of Santiago ...

and Santiago, where she sometimes performed

benefit concert A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate hu ...

s. Several of her pieces also attained international recognition, including ''The Star of Night'' ( es, La estrella de la tarde), a polka for piano which was played in Paris, as well as ''Armando the Gondolier'' ( es, Armando el gondolero), a waltz for piano later performed in Germany. She is also the first Chilean woman to venture into the composition of choral music, at the time a male-dominated sphere.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:de la Cruz, Delfina First Ladies of Chile 1837 births 1905 deaths People from Concepción, Chile Women classical composers Chilean women musicians Chilean classical composers Women classical pianists 19th-century classical composers 19th-century women composers 19th-century Chilean women Musicians from Concepción, Chile 19th-century women pianists