About the fado
While we Dutch are in the habit of fighting the gloom of our wintry skies with false optimism, the Portuguese know how to accept and admit feelings. An enviable capability, as the fado demonstrates.With its Brazilian, Spanish and African roots the fado came into being in Lisbon, in the poor quarters Alfama and Mouraria. People there frequently took leave of loved ones who went on voyages to faraway countries. The fado is a song about the extremes between which man is torn: illusion and disillusion. The fadista and the listener together look through the illusions, embrace their fate and find comfort, catharsis. The fado is like mysticism. It makes longing and loss into things that are enjoyable, just like a drug. Before you know it you'll need fado's to learn to live with the disillusion that even fado's cannot make a person really happy.
The fado resists defining, just like scents, feelings, novels, life. One can only experience it. Fadista's are also to be found in literature, in Dutch literature for instance J.C. Bloem and Slauerhoff.
Maybe most modern fado singers are too much children of the era of the self to be able to come anywhere near Amália Rodrigues. In Amália Rodrigues' case the greatest celebrity for once is also the greatest artist.
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