Salvador and Amália - Stirring emotions with song

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Portugal’s Salvador Sobral won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with his song Amar pelos dois.

This slow waltz captured the hearts of all of Europe and finally gave Portugal its 1st win ever in the history of Eurovision.  The singer, Salvador, took part in the idols of Portugal in 2009, at 19 years of age. Though he was among the best 8 contestants, he did not win, and stopped music all together for years.  Only when he was doing his Erasmus studies of Psychology in Maiorca, did he restart performing – and soon changed his studies to jazz, in Barcelona.  The song he sang in this year’s Eurovision was written by his sister Luisa, also a singer and songwriter. Salvador missed the first rehearsals in Kiev due to a heart condition that does not allow him to travel for longer periods. Yet he sang into people’s hearts, with skill but more so with feeling.  And so after having been in the last position 3 times, and the best result ever reached by Portugal being the 6th position, Portugal won. 

Here is a link to his song. 

Singing with feeling.  
This seems to be the thing that the Portuguese do the best. 
Fado is a Portuguese style of music that in 2011 reached the status of World Cultural Heritage. It is usually sang by one person who is accompanied by two guitarists: one with a traditional guitar and the other with a Portuguese guitar. The word fado comes from latin, fatum, which means destiny.  Most cities have fado-restaurants where fado is sang in between and after dinner, and some of the most famous and beloved Portuguese musicians are fado singers. With their popularity, the fado singers can also be heard in concerts. Some of the most popular singers today are Mariza, Carminho, Ana Moura, Camané among others.  The most famous fadista of all times though must be the internationally known Amália Rodrigues, entitled the Queen of Fado.  



Recently the staff of Casa do Valle did an excursion to Lisbon to see a musical entitled Amália – o musical, which tells the story of Amália Rodrigues.  And what a wonderful show it was! Excellent musicians, well told story, clever staging. The two hours passed by quickly: the audience laughed, cried, participated, and not one person left the theatre indifferent.  In addition to wonderful music, it was educational, a good glimpse to Amália’s life and to the history of fado, and of Portugal.  As a curiosity, the young adult Amália is performed by Anabela, who in 1993 represented Portugal in Eurovisão with the song Até ser dia and came 10th. I strongly recommend adding the musical to your stay with us!


 It is an easy train ride to Lisbon, and there are many restaurants around the theatre.  There are subtitles in various languages along the show for easier understanding of the story.  Performances run Wednesday through Sunday - Let us know if you want us to make you a reservation!

Have a glimpse of what to expect:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxmN1A6Fg58

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtFyJAxj4dU

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