1. – CONFIDENCIAL –
FADO
Portugal s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

2. Prepared by: Pedro Cota Dias
For: Instituto de Empresa – Executive MBA application
Date: June 2013
Part 2. More About You – Express Yourself
K. If all of the world s cultural heritage (sports, music, fashion, architecture, literature,
painting, etc.) was contained in a time capsule, what would you include to demonstrate
the legacy of your country?

3. If I had the opportunity to
include in a time capsule
something that demonstrates
the legacy of my country to
the world s cultural heritage it
would be FADO

4. FADO is a unique music style developed in the streets of Lisbon
during late 19th Century, as a result from the multicultural afro-brazilian
immigrant melting pot.
During the 20th century FADO became the most popular urban music
gender in Portugal and is recognized today by the majority of the
Portuguese as a symbol of the national cultural identity.

5. Late 19th century
FADO has gone from a music sung by
vagrants and prostitutes in the streets
and taverns of Lisbon in the late 19th
century…

6. Late 19th century
FADO has gone from a music sung by
vagrants and prostitutes in the streets
and taverns of Lisbon in the late 19th
century…
… to being classified as a Heritage
for Humanity by Unesco in 2011, and
performed at the greatest world
stages.
Today

7. FADO was a popular and
spontaneous form of music
transmitting melancholy,
sadness, fear and bitterness
associated to vagrancy and
neglected by the wealthy and
intellectual elites in Lisbon…
Mid to late
1880s
1932 - 1968 1974 2000 20111900s …
The history of FADO reflects the history of Portugal

8. FADO was a popular and
spontaneous form of music
transmitting melancholy,
sadness, fear and
bitterness associated to
vagrancy and neglected by
the wealthy and intellectual
elites in Lisbon…
…But soon FADO entered the halls of
palaces, brought by bourgeoisie and
aristocrats that mingled in the old streets
of Lisbon to hear the FADO.
The sound of the piano was replaced by
the simplicity of the guitar strings at
the noble salons where aristocratic
ladies were thrilled listening to FADO.
Mid to late
1880s
1932 - 1968 1974 2000 20111900s …
The history of FADO reflects the history of Portugal

9. FADO was a popular and
spontaneous form of music
transmitting melancholy,
sadness, fear and
bitterness associated to
vagrancy and neglected by
the wealthy and intellectual
elites in Lisbon…
During the dictatorship of Salazar FADO lyrics
were subjected to censorship and singers had to
obtain professional licenses.
FADO lost its improvisation and spontaneous
nature but gained a wider audience and
projection featuring widely in theatres, radios and
sound films.
A FADO “star system” raised and the Fadistas
(FADO singers) became popular idols.
It was FADO s glorious period.
Mid to late
1880s
1932 - 1968 1974 2000 20111900s …
…But soon FADO entered the
halls of palaces, brought by
bourgeoisie and aristocrats that
mingled in the old streets of Lisbon
to hear the FADO.
The sound of the piano was
replaced by the simplicity of the
guitar strings at the noble salons
where aristocratic ladies were
thrilled listening to FADO.
The history of FADO reflects the history of Portugal

10. FADO was a popular and
spontaneous form of music
transmitting melancholy,
sadness, fear and
bitterness associated to
vagrancy and neglected by
the wealthy and intellectual
elites in Lisbon…
…But soon FADO entered the
halls of palaces, brought by
bourgeoisie and aristocrats that
mingled in the old streets of Lisbon
to hear the FADO.
The sound of the piano was
replaced by the simplicity of the
guitar strings at the noble salons
where aristocratic ladies were
thrilled listening to FADO.
During the dictatorship of Salazar FADO lyrics were
subjected to censorship and singers had to obtain
professional licenses.
FADO lost its improvisation and spontaneous nature but
gained a wider audience and projection featuring
widely in theatres, radios and sound films.
A FADO “star system” raised and the Fadistas (FADO
singers) became popular idols.
It was FADO s glorious period.
From the Portuguese Revolution days of 1974 to 1990 FADO
went through a crisis.
During the 1970s, FADO was connoted to Salazar s dictator
regime and the revolution spirit of progress was not consistent
with the nostalgic and traditionalist tone of FADO.
After the revolution, during the 1980s, people were enjoying the
new regime and considered FADO as retrograde, sad and
nostalgic therefore in strong contrast with the festive and futurist
spirit of the rock music they were enjoying then.
Mid to late
1880s
1932 - 1968 1974 2000 20111900s …
The history of FADO reflects the history of Portugal

11. FADO was a popular and
spontaneous form of music
transmitting melancholy,
sadness, fear and
bitterness associated to
vagrancy and neglected by
the wealthy and intellectual
elites in Lisbon…
…But soon FADO entered the
halls of palaces, brought by
bourgeoisie and aristocrats that
mingled in the old streets of Lisbon
to hear the FADO.
The sound of the piano was
replaced by the simplicity of the
guitar strings at the noble salons
where aristocratic ladies were
thrilled listening to FADO.
During the dictatorship of Salazar FADO lyrics were
subjected to censorship and singers had to obtain
professional licenses.
FADO lost its improvisation and spontaneous nature but
gained a wider audience and projection featuring
widely in theatres, radios and sound films.
A FADO “star system” raised and the Fadistas (FADO
singers) became popular idols.
It was FADO s glorious period.
From the Portuguese Revolution days of 1974 to 1990
FADO went through a crisis.
During the 1970s, FADO was connoted to Salazar s
dictator regime and the revolution spirit of progress
was not consistent with the nostalgic and
traditionalist tone of FADO. After the revolution,
during the 1980s, people were enjoying the new regime
and considered FADO as retrograde, sad and nostalgic
therefore in strong contrast with the festive and futurist
spirit of the rock music they were enjoying then.
The crisis started to vanish in the
turn of the millennium with a new
group of young and more open-
minded Fadistas that have
innovated aesthetically,
musically and poetically.
Mid to late
1880s
1932 - 1968 19741900s
The history of FADO reflects the history of Portugal
2000 2011 …

12. FADO was a popular and
spontaneous form of music
transmitting melancholy,
sadness, fear and
bitterness associated to
vagrancy and neglected by
the wealthy and intellectual
elites in Lisbon…
…But soon FADO entered
the halls of palaces, brought
by bourgeoisie and aristocrats
that mingled in the old streets
of Lisbon to hear the FADO.
The sound of the piano was
replaced by the simplicity of
the guitar strings at the noble
salons where aristocratic
ladies were thrilled listening to
FADO.
During the dictatorship of Salazar FADO lyrics were
subjected to censorship and singers had to obtain
professional licenses.
FADO lost its improvisation and spontaneous nature but
gained a wider audience and projection featuring
widely in theatres, radios and sound films.
A FADO “star system” raised and the Fadistas (FADO
singers) became popular idols.
It was FADO s glorious period.
From the Portuguese Revolution days of 1974 to
1990 FADO went through a crisis.
During the 1970s, FADO was connoted to
Salazar s dictator regime and the revolution
spirit of progress was not consistent with the
nostalgic and traditionalist tone of FADO.
After the revolution, during the 1980s, people
were enjoying the new regime and considered
FADO as retrograde, sad and nostalgic therefore
in strong contrast with the festive and futurist
spirit of the rock music they were enjoying then.
The crisis started to
vanish in the turn of the
millennium with a new
group of young and
more open-minded
Fadistas that have
innovated aesthetically,
musically and
poetically.
The new stance towards FADO began an
outside-in movement that draw
international attention and created even
more awareness internally.
This movement was strengthened by the
trend to protect and value identity traditions
in response to globalization and capitalism.
A new era of FADO was underway, a
revivalist era that saw the birth of new
FADO stars on the rise today.
Mid to late
1880s
1932 - 1968 1974 2000 20111900s …
The history of FADO reflects the history of Portugal

13. FADO is the expression of the Portuguese Soul
It should be heard in the silence of the night and the mysteries that involve
it, with a “soul that can listen” to a song that speaks about deep feelings
and emotions of the Portuguese soul.
FADO is typically sung by only one
person accompanied by one or two
guitars, particularly the Portuguese
Guitar, and wearing black.

14. FADO is the expression of the Portuguese Soul
FADO sings about “SAUDADE”, the most Portuguese word
(and quite difficult to describe in English)… it is about:
FATE
LONGING FOR THE
TIMES PAST
PLIGHT AND
DESTINY
SORROW
GRIEVING
MISSING LOST
LOVERS
HURT
LOVE AND
JEALOUSY
This is the “FADO that makes guitars cry”!

15. The Portuguese feel the FADO and the poem
deeply and in the end there is a sense of relief
and well-being that makes us want to smile.
FADO can be light and happy, particularly when
Fadistas are singing “à desgarrada”, which
consists of two Fadistas improvising verses and
singing as they go along, normally about
something funny and “picking up on each other”.
But the rhythm of FADO carries a cheerful humor that contrasts with
the melancholic content, which is possibly why it is so fascinating.
FADO is the expression of the Portuguese Soul

16. Undisputedly the biggest Fadista of all times.
Amália broke language and cultural barriers and took Fado
to a whole new level, both nationally and internationally.
Amália Rodrigues - The Portuguese Diva

17. There is a new generation of Fadistas, responsible for the
uprising of Fado and for perpetuating such a unique
heritage of Portugal s culture
Mariza - The spearhead of the new FADO uprising
Mariza is able to maintain
the original “mystique” and
sound of FADO whilst
innovating and giving it a
more contemporary touch

18. Note: “Silence! The FADO will be sung…” is a popular saying to prepare the room when someone is about to start singing FADO
The poem on this slide (lyrics from the song on the video) was translated freely by the author of the presentation
It s mine and yours, this FADO
Fate that binds us
Even though much denied
At the strings of a guitar
Everytime you hear the groan
Of a guitar singing
Soon you become lost
With a desire to weep
Oh people of my land
Now I understand
This mourning that I carry
Was passed on by you
And it would seem tenderness
If I let myself dandle
My anguish would be bigger
My singing (would be) less sad
I would like to invite you to watch a video that is,
in my view, a great representation of FADO,
performed brilliantly by Mariza in FADO s
hometown Lisbon.
It shows that contemporary FADO is
aesthetically and musically innovative…
…but fully reflects the emotional side and
authenticity of FADO, characteristic of the
Portuguese.
Please follow the link on the image above to watch the video
“Silence! The FADO will be sung…”