Purpose:

To recuperate information regarding the lives and works of María Teresa Lara and María del Refugio Ponce - sisters of the recognized musical “geniuses” Agustín Lara and Manuel M. Ponce - who were practically ignored by the Eurocentric musical canon and academic discussions about Mexican women composers. Apply theories surrounding the notion of genius as an ideological accomplice of patriarchal structures within the field of music, in order to investigate how far the cult surrounding their brothers might have affected the near disappearance of these women creators.

Methodological Design:

The article is based on interdisciplinary research, drawing upon musicology, gender and creativity studies. Field work was also carried out in Tlatlauquitepec (Puebla) in order to collect more information about María Teresa Lara. In the case of María del Refugio Ponce, a study of relevant documents and music scores at the General Archive of the Cultural Institute of Aguascalientes was carried out.

Results:

Important biographical data about both women was obtained, as well as indications that the genius ideology and the cult surrounding their brothers was partially beneficial but above all an obstacle to these women creators’ artistic development.

Research limitations:

The history of María Teresa Lara is still fraught with contradictions and it will take a more in-depth research work to produce a complete catalogue of Maria del Refugio Ponce’s work.

Findings:

The article reveals the prolific musical work of María del Refugio Ponce, and the probability of a complex artistic collaboration between the Lara siblings previously overlooked.