Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlights a “leading figure in the Portuguese guitar and in fado”.
President of the Republic pays tribute to António Chainho: "An inspiring symbol for generations of instrumentalists"
Tuesday, 27 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
Fado is a traditional Portuguese music genre characterized by melancholic singing and themes of longing and fate, with distinct Lisbon and Coimbra styles; it was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2011. For expats, fado is both a living cultural tradition and a common tourist experience — attending a small fado house in Lisbon or Coimbra offers insight into Portuguese history, language and social life.
