“I performed in public for the first time with my great-grandmother at a Rádio Amália gala. I received my first fee and bought a PlayStation,” recalls Gaspar Varela. In the new episode of Geração 2000, Manel Rosa talks to the musician and member of the band Expresso Transatlântico. Born and raised in Lisbon, Gaspar started learning to play the Portuguese guitar at age 7 so he could accompany his great-grandmother, Celeste Rodrigues.
Gaspar Varela: “Madonna approached me and asked why I didn't invite her to sing on my first album. I replied: 'It was only instrumental, sorry'”
Wednesday, 15 April 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.
