Okay, so it’s been a while since my last post – so long, in fact, that I am no longer in Lisbon! Alas, after my vacation I had to start right back to work, and the semester’s start has delayed my final vacation post.
But here it is, although not exactly contemporaneous to my visit…
One of the highlights of any trip to Lisbon – and to Alfama in particular – is a chance to hear fado, a style of vocal music that is emblematic of Portugal.
Fado – at least as I think of it – is kind of like a cross between flamenco vocalizations and the blues; it’s mournful, emotional, beautiful. It has its origins in Lisbon’s riverside neighborhoods such as Alfama, and was used as a vehicle through which to convey the woes of the urban poor and working class. Today, however, it is popular across all economic demographics as well as all over Portugal.
Still, purists will probably tell you that the best place to catch a fado performance is the atmospheric Alfama. These purists aren’t entirely incorrect. Alfama is peppered with fado bars, and with its narrow, frozen-in-time streets, it’s the perfect place to catch these haunting melodies.
Fado venues vary throughout the neighborhood, from high-end clubs booking the biggest names to hole-in-the-wall joints where performances are local or even impromptu. Usually, the bigger clubs cater to tourists, and are found on main drags, while more local places are tucked away in Alfama’s labyrinth. When I first ventured to Lisbon four years ago, I found myself in one such place – which I would love to but could probably never find again – where performers sang open-mic style. I squeezed myself into a table, ordered green wine and olives, and just listened.
Whatever the club, bar, or hole in the wall, chances are wherever you catch fado, you’ll enjoy it. Personally, I’d love to return to Lisbon just to spend a few evenings bar-hopping among the different venues, but that’s a journey for another time.
Robin J Kish, Writer 