Cante Alentejano and fado together celebrate the Cultural Heritage of Humanity
The Academie de Fado and the Singers of Paris gathered in the French capital for a joint celebration of these two Portuguese cultural events elevated to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The event, unprecedented, attracted dozens of Portuguese and French to the Maison de la Vie Associative et Citoyenne of the 14th district to celebrate the anniversary of the elevation of these two traditional songs to Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
“Fado and cante alentejano are inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage [UNESCO], and I think this is very important in our culture. It was then that we came together to have a party and a tribute to Portuguese culture, “said Valérie do Carmo, founder of Academie de Fado in Paris.
The Academie de Fado was founded in 2014 and gives courses in guitar and viola de fado, and singing for beginners, promoting special classes with fadistas from Portugal.
But the interest in singing and playing fado is not exclusive to Portuguese or Portuguese, but a way of bringing the French closer to Portuguese culture.
“We have a student who arrived at the Academic of Fado because he fell in love with the fado in Lisbon, but did not know a word of Portuguese. Then learning the language came with the learning of fado,” said Valérie do Carmo. a French guitarist who, as she was interested in the lyrics of fado, began to take Portuguese classes at the Camões Institute.
In the group Singers of Paris, created in 2016, the majority of the interpreters are foreigners.
“My husband is Portuguese, not from the Alentejo, but singing was not strange to me. I will never be a soloist, but singing in Portuguese is a happiness and it’s also difficult, it’s such a rich song,” said Marie Ondine, the group a few months ago.
Carlos Balbino, the founder of the group, is always looking for new members to reinforce the performances.
“The group now has 12 people, but we always want to give new people the opportunity to experience singing. We have some members who are with us, but who, admittedly, never want to do concerts. stage “explained Carlos Balbino.
The appearance of a viola campaniça, brought by Carlos Balbino and that traditionally accompanies the cante, aroused the interest of the public.
At that time, Domingos Trindade, of Serpa and who lived 40 years in France, intervened, explaining the instrument and was moved.
“When I hear you sing the song that my father sang, it makes me feel a lot of emotion,” said Domingos Trindade.
The Paris Singers were in September in Portugal to record the album “Alentejo ensemble”, which is now in post-production, and are preparing to increase the number of singers with a second group supported by the University of Paris Nanterre.
