The Portuguese Cultural Association is pleased to announce an evening of Fado music to take place on 5 October 2019 featuring musicians coming from the Azores: Alfredo Gago da Câmara (Guitar and Voice); Mário Fernandes (Viola da terra and Voice); and Ricardo Melo (Bass).

Da Câmara, a native of Vila Franca do Campo in the Azores, is a musician, poet, teacher and author. He has composed many musical pieces for himself and for other performers throughout the Portuguese diaspora. He opened a ‘House of Fado’, has taught classical guitar and the ‘Viola da Terra’, a stringed instrument native to the Azores, and has performed countless times throughout the Azores, the rest of Portugal, Spain, the USA, Canada, Luxembourg, Brazil and Venezuela. This will be his first visit to Bermuda.

Da Câmara frequently collaborates with Fernandes and Melo in his performances, both of whom will be travelling to Bermuda with him.

Fado is a traditional folk music from Portugal that dates back many centuries. Its songs are characterized by sadness and melancholy based on the hard realities of daily life faced by the Portuguese. Lyrics centre on longing and loss, but balanced with themes of hopefulness and love. Fado music often has one or two 12-string Portuguese guitars, one or two violas, and sometimes a small 8 string, bass.

The event will take place on Saturday, 5 October 2019 at the Vasco da Gama Club, starting at 7:30 pm, and will feature dinner and dessert before the performances start. If tickets are bought before 27 September 2019, prices are $90 for adults and $50 for children. If bought on or after 27 September, the prices will rise to $110 and $60 respectively. All funds raised will support the Portuguese School of Bermuda and the Vasco Youth Program. Tickets are available for sale at Vasco da Gama Club. For more information, email the Association on info@portuguesebda.com or call 292-7196.

• Press release from the Portuguese Cultural Association