Amália in America – Beyond Fado

In 1952, Amália Rodrigues conquered the American public by singing at the "La Vie en Rose" nightclub in New York. Her success was renewed in prestigious venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall.

Amália's repertoire in the US combined traditional fados, fado-songs by Frederico Valério, traditional Portuguese songs, and Broadway and Hollywood hits. In 1965, she recorded two albums: "Amália Canta Portugal," with traditional songs orchestrated by Joaquim Luís Gomes, and "Amália na Broadway," released in 1984, with themes from the "Great American Songbook."

In 1966, she was a soloist in symphonic concerts with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, performing traditional Portuguese songs and fados, receiving great acclaim.

Amália had a chameleon-like ability to capture the accents and interpretive traits of each language and tradition. This program honors the bridges of affection she built with America, affirming her universal Portuguese identity, echoing Miguel Torga: "the universal is the local without walls".
Rui Vieira Nery