Maria Lúcia Godoy (September 2, 1924 – May 16, 2025) was a Brazilian soprano known for her interpretations of classical and

Brazilian music The music of Brazil encompasses various regional musical styles influenced by European, American, African and Amerindian forms. Brazilian music developed some unique and original styles such as forró, repente, coco de roda, axé, sertanejo ...

, particularly the works of

Heitor Villa-Lobos Heitor Villa-Lobos (March 5, 1887November 17, 1959) was a Brazilian composer, conductor, cellist, and classical guitarist described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has globally bec ...

. Her extensive career as a chamber singer and symphonic soloist earned her recognition as one of the most important Brazilian vocalists of her generation.

Early life

Godoy was born in Mesquita,

Minas Gerais, Brazil Minas Gerais () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil, being the fourth largest state by area and the second largest in number of inhabitants with a population of 20,539,989 according to the 2022 census. Located in the Southeast Region ...

. She moved to

Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte is the List of largest cities in Brazil, sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population of around 2.3 million, and the third largest metropolitan area, containing a population of 6 million. It is the List of cities in Sout ...

during her childhood, where she pursued a degree in Literature at the

Federal University of Minas Gerais The Federal University of Minas Gerais (, UFMG) is a federalIn the Brazilian Higher Education context, ''Federal'' does not mean ''collegiate'' (even though most Federal Universities in Brazil enjoy a similarly collegiate system), but it means ...

. Her musical education began under the

tutelage Tutoring is private academic help, usually provided by an expert teacher; someone with deep knowledge or defined expertise in a particular subject or set of subjects. A tutor, formally also called an academic tutor, is a person who provides assis ...

of Honorina Prates. She later studied with Pasquale Gambardella in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

and further honed her skills in Germany, thanks to a scholarship that allowed her to study with Margarete von Winterfeld.

Career

Godoy's professional debut was as the principal soloist of the Madrigal Renascentista, conducted by

maestro Maestro (; from the Italian '' maestro'' , meaning " master" or "teacher," plural: maestros or maestri) is an honorific title of respect, sometimes abbreviated Mo. The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music and oper ...

Isaac Karabtchevsky, whom she later married. She gained acclaim for her performances of both classical and Brazilian repertoire, becoming particularly associated with the works of

. Her recording of Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 is considered one of the definitive interpretations of the piece. Throughout her career, Godoy performed in major cities across Brazil and internationally, showcasing a repertoire that spanned from imperial-era modinhas to contemporary compositions. She premiered works by composers such as Edino Krieger,

Cláudio Santoro Cláudio Franco de Sá Santoro (23 November 1919 – 27 March 1989) was an internationally renowned Brazilian composer, conductor and violinist. Biography Early life A native of Manaus, the capital of Amazonas, Santoro started to study violin ...

, Ronaldo Miranda, and Marlos Nobre. Her versatility extended to opera, where she portrayed roles including '' Mimi (La Bohème)'', '' Rosina (The Barber of Seville)'', and '' Dorabella (Così fan tutte)''. In 1977, she released the album Maria Lucia Godoy Interpreta Villa-Lobos, featuring performances accompanied by guitarist Sérgio Abreu and an orchestra of cellos conducted by Alceo Bocchino.

Personal life and death

Maria Lúcia Godoy was married to conductor Isaac Karabtchevsky. She turned 100 on September 2024, and died in

on May 16, 2025.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Godoy, Maria Lucia 1924 births 2025 deaths 20th-century Brazilian singers 20th-century Brazilian musicians Brazilian sopranos Brazilian women centenarians Federal University of Minas Gerais alumni Musicians from Belo Horizonte Singers from Belo Horizonte