Fado, the song of Lisboa
Saudade from our soul
Fado is, par excellence, the song of Lisboa. Born of unique sentiment, of a soul that can't be explained but only felt, fado today is the most noble and genuine product of Portuguese popular culture. And because it is so singular, it is always a surprise for the tourists who visit Lisboa.
Fado is fado and there are no ways to divide it. It's music that comes from inside the Portuguese soul. Even so, there are those who try to see divisions between professional fado and amateur fado.
The former is sung by people who make their voice their way of life, people of talent and hard work, who give their best, elevating the prestige of Portuguese song in the outside world.
The second, amateur fado, or fado vadio as it is known, has other characteristics, though the saudosista nature is the same. In the vadio fado houses, which now breathe again in the Alfama and other popular bairros like the Bairro Alto, the fadista is never invited … he invites himself.
Here there is no established program. You eat a grilled chouriço, drink a few glasses of wine, turn out the lights and the magic of these spaces comes to life. Whoever wants to can sing, giving wing to their sentiments.
The spirit of a fado vadio house is necessarily different from the atmosphere of a professional fado house: here, there is ritual and ceremony, over there is a party of desire and sensation.
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on Jan 21, 2003
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