Intellectual Experience 1

Fado in Lisboa

Inside the Fado House

    In Lisbon, we were fortunate enough to be escorted around by a local, an old friend of mine, Manel. When we asked him to show us something unique to Portugal and Lisbon, he decided immediately that we would go to a Fado house. He briefed us on the history of Fado and its current state. Portugal was a big player in the Age of Exploration (or the Age of Discoveries, as they call it), so many of the sons, brothers, and husbands of Portugal were departing for new shores, possibly never to return again. Fado speaks to the dolorous and longing nature inherent in Portuguese culture following these departures.

Monument to Portuguese Explorers (as well as a Lisbon sunset over the river)

    The crowd in the Fado house was interesting to observe; the listeners were either elderly or quite young, with a large gap between the ages. Manel had explained that Fado was experiencing a recent resurgence. His personal opinion was that although many of the new, young singers lacked the experience necessary to add depth to the emotion in the songs, it was still a positive thing that the culture of Fado was being preserved and carried on. Perhaps the up-and-coming singers would gain emotional depth as they grew in age. He also suggested that during a time when the younger generations in Portugal have no promises of employment in the future due to the economy, they may find an emotional connection in the music of longing, singing about departure to shores beyond Lisbon.

    One possible explanation to the age disparity in Fado listeners is the political climate surrounding Fado for the past 80 years. Between 1933-1978, Portugal was under an authoritarian government. According to a Lisbon resident on the Portugal episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations (a program intended to explore the food and culture of various locations), the leaders of Portugal's authoritarian regime (whom he referred to as the past dictators), supported and encouraged Fado. Those opposed to the regime, such as the speaker, also developed an aversion to Fado. Listening to it, he said, brings back memories of the oppressive regime. The new, younger audience for Fado would not have those connections in the back of their minds. The older generation may enjoy the nostalgia without making the direct connection between the music and the regime. To explain the age gap, the in-between generation may not find the music nostalgia-inducing, nor find the emotional connection to the music that the current generation finds.