Soul music from Portugal: FADO

Celia Leiria invites you to concerts of stunning Portuguese fado

In July 2024, a wave of magical fado will sweep over Lithuania. Traditional Portuguese music, inseparable from the country’s image, is close to the soul of Lithuanians in its sound – probably because of the longing and melancholy that permeates it. Celia LEIRIA, visiting Lithuania for the first time, together with virtuoso guitarists Pedro AMENDOEIRA and João FILIPE, promises to reveal the depths of Portuguese soul.

Celia LEIRIA in her native Portugal, she is considered one of the most prominent voices of the new fado generation. She started singing at 14. She has performed on prestigious stages, festivals and in various projects in Portugal and abroad. She sings regularly in some of the best Fado houses in Lisbon, including the famous Clube de Fado. Celia masterfully combines a mature, distinctive style with traditional fado interpretation and contemporary vocal features. She is currently working on a new album combining traditional fado with the latest trends in the music world.
Guitarist Pedro AMENDOEIRA  (brother of the famous Portuguese singer Joana Amendoeira) is convinced that “the Portuguese guitar should talk to the singer”. After all, the three components of fado are the sensual vocals, the emotional fusion and, of course, the Portuguese guitar.
João FILIPE, playing classical guitar – young, promising traditional fado guitarist. He draws inspiration and sound from renowned classical guitar virtuosos such as Martinho da Assunção and Júlio Gomes.

Fado (from the Latin fatum – fate) is a genre of music popular in Lisbon in the 19th century. It is believed to be the songs of women sailors and soldiers who have left the country, with longing (saudade) as a key emotional element. The fado genre flourished in the first half of the 20th century and became very popular when some of Portugal’s most famous poets began composing poems to this music. As a typical Lisbon urban romance, a symbol of the city’s and the country’s identity, the fado was inscribed on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2011. Since then, fado has been part of the world.

The organisers of the concert, good music experts “Bardai LT”, are convinced that you don’t need to know the language to feel the impact of fado, because it is the music of the soul. This will be evident to all who come to this sensual date with saudade.