Fado is the heart of the Portuguese soul and is more alive than ever. A new generation of artists railroad joins the legendary voices of the past. The essential element of fado music on the “saudade”, or what in Portuguese is translated as longing. It is a sad music that sings to the destination (fado comes from the Latin fas, Fatuma, and is synonymous with “destiny”), death, love, betrayal, despair and melancholy. The origin of this popular music dates back to early nineteenth century among the lower classes and slums. Fado was heartbreaking music of taverns, brothels and the dark corners of the districts of Alfama and Mouraria, the old and poor in Lisbon. Later, these songs from the suburbs, they were very fashionable among the aristocratic class, who introduced these verses in their lives as an eccentricity.
Like many other types of popular music, such as Argentine tango, American blues or Spanish flamenco, fado should not defined, but padala as a delicacy. Both men and women can sing fado, but the public almost always prefer a female voice for this genre. A good fado exaggerate their facial expressions and gestures with determination in their actions. The hands move from side to side with elegant swings, while the body remains static. This genre reached its golden age in the first half of the twentieth century when the Portuguese dictatorship of Salazar forced the fado singers to become professional and confined in the houses of fado (premises that were fitted for this purpose). Today, the fado is protected by official institutions, and is grown as a tourist spectacle. Amalia Rodrigues was the queen of fado, idolized at home and celebrated abroad as the most famous representative of Portuguese culture. Other greats in this genre have been Carlos Ramos, Alfredo Marceneiro, Berta Cardoso, Maria Teresa de Noronha, Herminia Silva, Fernando Farinha, Fernando Mauricio, Lucilia do And Manuel de Almeida Carmo.
Today, Cristina Branco and Mariza Fado are two of the most cheered. Both seek to bring this kind between the exercise of tradition and new trends. If you travel to Lisbon, do not forget to visit a show of fado. There are numerous restaurants where you dine to the sound of beautiful fado. The best fado houses are in the neighborhoods of Alfama, Mouraria, Bairro Alto and Madragoa. Find the best accommodation between them.
Tags: music
