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David Roussève/REALITY

Portuguese Fado is quintessentially bittersweet. It is glorious music that is filled with both the heartbreak and ecstasy of love. On a subtextual level, where the deep emotions of work's elements can be found, there is a strong connection between the music, the text, and the dancing. It is as if all of these elements celebrate life while also acknowledging the grit that comes with it. So the music is providing an emotional terrain that brings the work's deeper themes to the surface.

I wanted to use a range of Fado voices and a range of time periods. There is a healthy dose of recordings by Amalia Rodrigues- the undisputed queen of Fado. To me, she is one of the most magnificent artists ever to record. A technical prowess that is equally matched by the honest emotional interpretations that Fado demands. After Amalia, I wanted to try to represent the range of Fado, which is why the recordings vary so much.

-David Roussève