Broadway icon Chita Rivera dies aged 91

Broadway icon Chita Rivera has died at the age of 91.

The Tony Award-winning actress died in New York on Tuesday, her daughter Lisa Mordente has confirmed.

Mordente released a statement later that day sharing that her mother died "after a brief illness".

The statement continued, "She is also survived by her siblings Julio, Armando and Lola del Rivero, (her older sister Carmen predeceased her), along with her many nieces, nephews and friends. Her funeral will be private. A memorial service will be announced in due course."

Rivera's Broadway credits date back to the early 1950s. Some of her most prominent roles include Rose in the 1960 production of Bye Bye Birdie and Anita in the 1957 production of West Side Story.

Rivera also starred as Velma Kelly in the 1975 production of Chicago on Broadway. More than two decades later, she took on the lead role of Roxie Hart in the 25th anniversary production of the iconic show.

The actress, who began her stage training at the age of 11, is celebrated as a trailblazer for Latina women.

Rivera was nominated for 10 Tony Awards throughout her career, winning twice. In 2018, she received a lifetime Tony Award in recognition of her career, which has spanned nearly seven decades. She was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour, by former President Barack Obama in 2009.

In 2002, Rivera became the first Latina and the first Latino American to receive a Kennedy Center Honor.