Mariza From Portugal, National Concert Hall, 14 December

Evolving from the coffee house music of the 19th century it is a relative of the Cape Verde morna, the Argentinean tango and the Greek rembetika styles. Music shaped by the assimilation of Europeans with those of a darker skin, the hectic mood of harbours and the “melancholy of the sea”.

Mariza’s mother was of Mozambique descent, her father European Portuguese. She was three years old when she moved with her family to Lisbon, where later she succeeded the 20th century Goddess of fado, Amália Rodrigues as the most popular fado singer of her time. Since her 2001 debut album Fado em Mim, success has followed success with her records and concerts. In 2003, her CD Fado Curvo won the BBC Radio 3 prize for “Best European Artist in World Music”, while her 2006 Concerto em Lisboa received a Grammy nomination. 

Meanwhile Mariza has sung at the Sydney Opera House, the New York Carnegie Hall, the Paris Théâtre de la Ville and the London Royal Albert Hall. So she comes to Hungary at the very peak of her career and will sweep the audience of the Palace of Arts off their feet with her exceptional voice and the profound passion of fado."

Source: Palace of Arts