The fado one calls “from Lisbon” is well known, but it is time to introduce you to the fado from Coimbra, linked to student life in this Portuguese city. Coimbra harbours one of the oldest European universities, dating from 1290. The Coimbra fado is sung, and accompanied at the guitar, exclusively by men wearing black traditional student gowns. Students add to these gowns the symbols of the Faculties they attend.
The Coimbra fado renders the more erudite university spirit, which also took up a certain form of resistance during fascism. This is how, in the Coimbra of the ’40s and ’50s, the “intervention songs and ballads” appeared. Coimbra was a place where, between the ’50s and the 1974 revolution, ideas of liberty sprouted up. Notably, student fights took place in 1962 and 1969, embodied by anti-fascist figure-heads such as José Afonso.
Guitarist Artur Paredes and his son Carlos Paredes were greatly responsible for the evolution of the Coimbra sound, where the Portuguese guitar displays a greater aggressiveness, dramaturgy and sophistication. For years, the Grupo Romance has been one of the most important ambassadors of this music in Coimbra. They embark us on a visit to the pillars of this part of Portuguese culture.
- Luis Oliveira: Portuguese guitar
- Luis Ferreirinha: guitar
- Nuno Silva: voice
- Henrique Guerra: voice
- Riccardo Dias: accordion
The evening will be opened by traditional Portuguese music with Duo Raposo. The program of Miguel (Portuguese guitar) and Philippe Raposo (classical guitar) combines the traditional repertoire of Coimbra and a repertoire of unpublished pieces composed for the duo. They will perform pieces from their first CD “Pouca Terra”, the faithful account of more than 10 years of concerts, meetings and travels in duo.
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