(by Belarmino Santos).
Pinguinhas, founded by Silvio Marques in 2016, created in the city of Viseu a cultural space open to the public with the typical atmosphere of traditional fado houses, both in its interior decoration and in its way of welcoming fado singers and its supporters and Portuguese music, in general.
In the past, it was in places like this that Fado developed, especially over the last century, in Fado houses and taverns where the public would gather, not only to play and sing Fado, but also to write and reinvent it.
We believe that it is in this informal context that the Fado culture is transmitted from generation to generation, in a genuine tradition and popular culture.
Since the first day, Pinguinhas has sought to develop and promote traditional Fado in the Centre region and Beiras, to unite several generations of Fado singers and to train new audiences through Fado nights and popular music.
On the Pinguinhas stage we promote culture, arts and traditions always accompanied with the good snacks from the Beira region, the famous Caldo Verde and a selection of Dão wines.
Come play and sing with us!
Don't be quiet, sing the fado
That's how fado was, gentlemen
The wine from the barrel running
So poorly bred and old-fashioned
It's that fado was fado for real
The fado lost its race, its gracefulness
It ceased to be disorderly and a companion of the ramboiada.
These fado singers of today bring the fado turned around
In retreats and salons they sing songs instead of fado.
Today the fado is for foreigners,
For bankers and for doctors
Fado singers are already artists, not fadistas they're already singers
It's sung in nightclubs and so is the finery
Fado has changed its course and is now compulsory consumption.
- Fernando Farinha/Mário José Lopes -
