Jeanine Barone/BBC:

Fado singer Carminho wowed audiences with her performance in Poor Things. Here’s where she catches fado in Lisbon, from the iconic Mesa de Frades to insider hangout Tasca da Bela.
Lisbon captivates with its multitude of sensory delights, whether it’s the zesty fragrance of ginger lilies in one of the city’s many gardens, the luscious sweetness of pasteis de nata custard tarts or the stunning brilliance of lavender-hued jacaranda blooms in a town square. Set beside the cerulean waters of the Tagus River, Lisbon’s seven-hilled landscape beckons to be explored on foot, with discoveries around every corner.
The very soul of Lisbon and its citizens is captured in fado. This musical genre – often described as haunting or mournful – reflects the bittersweet emotions of everyday life. But fado doesn’t just refer to a genre; it also refers to songs that traditionally revolve around themes like love and pain.
No wonder, considering fado was born in Lisbon’s poor and marginalised neighbourhoods; once home to sailors and prostitutes. The soul-stirring refrain can be heard and experienced in fado houses all over the country, where understanding Portuguese isn’t a requirement for soaking up the music’s emotion. Fado has been Portugal’s constant soundtrack since the 19th Century but is currently having a moment in the global spotlight, featured in the Oscar award-winning film Poor Things. Lisbon-native Carminho, a renowned fadista (fado singer) and composer, has a captivating cameo role where she sings and plays the traditional 12-string Portuguese guitar while the lead character, Bella (played by Emma Stone) listens, overwhelmed with feeling. The daughter of highly respected fadista, Teresa Siqueira, Carminho has fado in her blood and represents a new generation of fadistas. “Fado is a living language,” she says. “You keep and learn from the tradition, and then, in my case, I interpret through my generation and my experiences. I use fado to express myself.” Here are Carminho’s five favourite fado houses in her hometown of Lisbon.
1. Best for hospitality and excellent Portuguese cuisine: O Faia
Carminho’s first fado house pick is O Faia in Lisbon’s bohemian Bairro Alto neighbourhood. “This is a fado house with a huge reputation and a great history,” says Carminho. Open since 1947, “it was managed by one of the greatest fado singers of all time: Lucilia do Carmo and later by her son, Carlos do Carmo. Many fado singers like Amália Rodrigues and Alfredo Marceneiro have passed through here.” The singers who perform here are regulars. “I especially go to listen to two of the greatest fado singers currently active, António Rocha and Lenita Gentil,” says Carminho. Though it’s a good place for groups, Carminho says that couples will particularly enjoy the atmosphere, where the space is bedecked with candlelight during performances. Carminho also likes O Faia for its culinary offerings. “This house has one of the best restaurants in Lisbon with a menu inspired by traditional Portuguese cuisine but with chef Pedro Pereira’s own signature,” she says. “For starters, I suggest the pickled mackerel or veal terrine; for the main course, the skate fish or the roasted lamb leg.” She cites the impeccable hospitality as yet another draw. “The current managers are an incredibly dedicated family to this house and to fado. The father and the two sons run the house, and one of the two brothers plays the bass guitar.”
2. Best for a traditional atmosphere and fado stars: Sr Vinho
Named for a famous fado sung by one of the house’s founders, fadista Antonio Melo Correia, Sr Vinho hosts high-quality performers from Monday to Saturday. “Among them is the great fado singer Maria da Fé, who is present almost every day of the week,” says Carminho. Due to the venue’s stellar reputation, guests will find former resident fado singers who have become big stars, such as Aldina Duarte and Antonio Zambujo. “The presence of Maria da Fé gives the place the solemnity and mystique [it deserves],” says Carminho. “Visitors should enjoy Lisbon by walking; that’s what I do,” says Carminho, who loves strolling along the river, starting at the Cais do Sodre neighbourhood. From there, it’s only 15 minutes to Casa dos Bicos. “Casa dos Bico is a historic building that’s architecturally interesting – it has spikes on the facade – and it honours Jose Saramago, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature.”
Ambling one mile south from the river brings you to Jardim do Torel, one of Lisbon’s many delightful gardens ((“parks”, so we don’t repeat gardens?)). “You can lay out your picnic blanket in this garden… you’re surrounded by palaces,” says Carminho. End your tour by meandering about 40 minutes to Casa Fernando Pessoa, a museum honouring one of Portugal’s greatest poets. “You can see a trunk of Pessoa’s poems, his notes, bedroom, even his glasses,” says Carminho. With wooden furnishings, historically significant art and Portuguese azulejos (tiles) on the walls, the vibe is traditional yet sophisticated. “Arches create corners and give the house a mysterious and romantic atmosphere,” says Carminho, who enjoys sitting at the table in the back facing the central arch where the fado singers perform. Many Portuguese people, including groups, visit this fado house. “But due to the layout of the room, the feeling is that of being in a cosy, intimate space,” says Carminho.