Amália Rodrigues and the Internationalization of Fado
Amália Rodrigues represents one of the key figures who brought Portuguese Fado to various countries and other continents. It is with her that Fado reaches the peak of its internationalization. Now, let’s get to know the journey of the Queen of Fado without borders.
Amália was born in Lisbon in 1920 and was noticed early on for her distinct voice. She began her performances in 1939, at the Severa retreat, where she was recognized as a revelation in this field by the lead guitarist, Armandinho.
In 1940, the fadista began performing at Café Mondego and Solar da Alegria in Lisbon, until making her debut at Café Luso in 1941, where her fee would be the highest for a fadista up to that point. Amália continued to progress in her career and in 1941 made her debut in musical theater, becoming the leading figure in the cast.
It was in Madrid that Amália Rodrigues began her international career in 1943, performing at the invitation of the Portuguese ambassador. The following year, she traveled to Brazil, where she performed for more than three months at the Copacabana Casino. Amália returned to the same venue the following year, where she also performed with the Amália Rodrigues Review Company and recorded her first albums for the Continental label.
In 1955, the Queen of Fado ventured into the play A Severa by Júlio Dantas, as the lead actress. However, she didn’t stop there. Later, Capas Negras, by Armando Miranda, became the first film performed by Amália, followed by the success of Fado: História de uma Cantadeira by Perdigão Queiroga, which earned her the Best Actress of the Year award from the National Information Service (SNI).
On Tour
In the early 1950s, Amália Rodrigues embarked on tours across various countries in Europe, Brazil, the USA, and Africa, with her presence in the international music scene becoming increasingly significant. Similarly, her success led her to record several albums at Abbey Road Studios of EMI for Valentim de Carvalho in London and to release her first LP, Amália Sings Fado from Portugal and Flamenco from Spain.
Amália Abroad
Starting in 1956, Amália focused on France and performed for six weeks at the Olympia in Paris, which led to her signing a contract with the French record label Ducretet-Thomson. Then, in 1960, Amália gained international recognition as a fadista, and her presence became constant in the most prestigious performance venues around the world.
The Peak
In short, the 1950s and 1960s tell the story of the peak of fado, which, represented by Amália Rodrigues, reached its definitive internationalization, becoming known and appreciated beyond borders.
