Catalina de los Ríos y Lisperguer

Catalina de los Ríos y Lisperguer, nicknamed La Quintrala because of her flaming red hair (1604 – 1665), was an 17th century Chilean landowner, and murderer.

During Chile's colonial period, she was noted for her extreme cruelty to her inquilinos, accused and tried for over 40 murders, becoming an icon of colonial abuse and oppression.

Catalina de los Ríos was of Spanish, Amerindian and German descent. She died in Santiago at the age of about 60.

Her figure still lives in Chilean popular culture as the epitome of the perverse and abusive woman, as well as the oppression of Spanish rule. Danish composer Lars Graugaard composed an opera based on her. Graugaard's opera La Quintrala for five singers and interactive computer was premiered September 2, 2004 in Copenhagen.

Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna, wrote Los Lisperguer y La Quintrala (1877) about her.

Piedrabuena Ruiz-Tagle, Daniel. Los Lisperguer Wittemberg: Luces y sombras de una singular familia alemana presente en la historia de España y Chile. Atenea (Concepción), Dic 2015, no.512, p.171-187. ISSN 0718-0462

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