Amalia Rodrigues

Coimbra Amalia Rodrigues

Fado, the powerful, emotional musical form of Portugal, was, like American blues, first recorded on 78s and continues to live on in the digital age: its appeal is timeless. No Fado artist has demonstrated the persistence of Fado more fully than its greatest interpreter, **Amália Rodrigues**. Like most fadistas, **Rodrigues** grew up in the Alfama district (Lisbon) that produced Fado. While her official debut as a singer did not begin until 1939, **Rodrigues** was well-known from an early age as a striking vocal talent. Her voice, filled with enormous passion and intensity, had a strikingly wide range, and despite the sincerity and power she brought to the more dramatic aspects of Fado, **Rodrigues's** control was exemplary.