Duque

Arriving in Rio de Janeiro at a young age, Duque resolved to pursue dentistry. He matriculated at the Medicine College of Rio de Janeiro and obtained his degree near 1904. Maintaining an office on Rua Uruguaiana that drew no patients, he achieved his first notable success in 1906 by taking the lead in the comic play Gaspar Cacete. An accomplished dancer and choreographer, he also contributed poetry to Jornal das Famílias; as a committed Bohemian, he would carouse through the night with companions and return to his office each morning to sleep. Around 1912 he shuttered the office permanently and sailed to Paris, realizing a long-cherished ambition. Historians differ on his purpose, some suggesting classical dance study, others pharmaceutical sponsorship, and still others simple pleasure. There he sold his return ticket and took modest employment at a travel agency, spending every franc on rent, meals, and Parisian dance halls. His dancing mastery soon produced a major triumph. With Argentine tango then the rage in Paris, he began teaching that style to support himself. Coincidentally, the celebrated Brazilian dancer Maria Lina reached Paris during the same period. Meeting at a Montparnasse nightclub, the pair spontaneously rehearsed steps of the Brazilian Maxixe, a rhythmically sensual form then banned from Brazil’s elite salons. The dance’s demanding physicality found graceful realization in their performance, spellbinding spectators. The club owner invited them to dine and hired them the next day as the featured attraction. Dancing Maxixe, Duque and Maria Lina appeared at the foremost cabarets of Paris and Europe. In February 1913 they captured first prize at a dance contest sponsored by Elegant Welte at Berlin’s Admirals Palace. In May Duque introduced his new partner, French actress Arlette Dorgère, yet continued performing with Maria Lina. By then Maxixe had gripped Paris. Brazilian music filled the city’s leading theaters, cafés, and restaurants; Ernesto Nazareth’s “Brejeiro” ranked among the most requested numbers in the nightclubs. No longer merely a dancer, Duque became director of the Dancing Palace at Luna Park. Late in 1913 he acquired another partner, the French Gaby. Finding French musicians unable to supply authentic Brazilian rhythm, he enlisted conductor Nicolino Milano, then enjoying success in Lisbon. The genuine Brazilian swing further captivated Parisian listeners, though Duque now blended several Brazilian dance forms into a diluted, stylized presentation suited to European tastes. With this winning formula he performed at the Olympia, the Alhambra, the London Hippodrome, the Théâtre des Capucines, the Alcazar d’Été, and the New York Palace for 15,000 francs monthly.

At the close of 1915 he undertook a highly successful tour of Buenos Aires, opening the Teatro Florida for Gaby before continuing to Montevideo. After three nights at the local casino the duo returned to Buenos Aires, appearing repeatedly at the Teatro Nuevo and at the opening of the Parc Hotel. They reached Rio on 26 January 1916. Resuming professional dancing, Duque opened a dance academy, then made another brief trip to Paris. Back in Brazil, Duque and Gaby appeared in the film Entre a Arte e o Amor, which opened in Paris in 1918; he also participated in the 1917 film Fuerza y Nobleza. In 1921 he returned to Paris for a dance contest. The following year he performed again in Brazil at Rio’s high-class cabaret Assírio with Pixinguinha’s Os Oito Batutas. There he persuaded millionaire Arnaldo Guinle to sponsor the Batutas’ cultural mission to Paris. Their triumphant season at the Scheherazade nightclub led to changes in Pixinguinha’s music through contact with jazz bands; upon returning, the Oito Batutas incorporated jazz instruments into the choro regional. After World War I, American music displaced Maxixe. Duque’s popularity faded, and he turned to theatrical criticism and playwriting. As lyricist he wrote “Os Batutas” (with Pixinguinha and China) and “O Cachorro da Mulata” (with China). With Sebastião Cirino he composed the successful Maxixe “Cristo Nasceu na Bahia,” presented in the play Tudo Preto and a major hit at Carnival 1927 that remains a frequently recorded Brazilian classic. Francisco Alves recorded two Duque compositions on the first Brazilian electric record in 1927: the march “Albertina” and the samba “Passarinho do Má.” The 1930 samba “Sarambá” (with J. Tomás) also became a hit. In 1932 Duque realized a longstanding ambition by opening the Casa de Caboclo at Praça Tiradentes, dedicated to Brazilian folklore and traditions. Regular attractions included Pixinguinha with a small regional ensemble and the caipira duo Jararaca e Ratinho, with other artists as guests; Dercy Gonçalves was among its discoveries. Destroyed by fire, the venue reopened immediately at the Teatro Fênix because of its success. In 1939 Duque was appointed director of the prestigious Cassino Atlântico, remaining until 1942, after which he devoted himself exclusively to theater until the end of his life.