Fado for Foreigners, A talk by Peter Booker.

Fado occupies a special place in Portuguese culture. About 200 years old, and of disputed roots, fado was certainly born in Lisbon Fado was Lisbon folk music. The word implies an unlucky fate, and fado has an undeserved reputation for misery and unhappiness. Just as striking are the happier types of fado and the celebrations of the traditions of Lisbon, often referred to in fado as beautiful princess. The second home of fado is Coimbra, and Coimbra fado is of its own kind. Fado has been subjected to political control, and its development was heavily influenced by the aristocracy of Portu- gal, and by government censorship. Fortunately those times have passed and fado has resumed its place at the forefront of popular Portuguese culture. Peter presents an estrangeiro view of fado, and explains how foreigners may enjoy a deeper experience of this essentially Portuguese phenomenon. Lisbon wall depicting Maria Severa, the first famous Fado singer