Fado, a unique form of Portuguese music, has captured the world’s attention lately, with the success of the divas Cristina Branco and Mariza, among others. Its drama and bold expression is perhaps seen as an antidote to the mechanical pop on the radio, or the jaded underground music of our times.

Fado was born in Alfama, the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon, with the crossing of spirited Portuguese song and the British sailor’s favorite guitarra (a resonant, double steel-stringed instrument). The form of song called fado can trace its roots back to various influences slave and sailor songs, or perhaps to Moorish, even minstrel music, but only achieved its “modern form” in the mid 1800s.

During the 1950s and 1960s, fado reached a great peak in popularity, with the interpretations of the most famous diva, Amália Rodrigues. Portugal of that time (and some argue today) could be characterized by the three “F”s: Fado, Futebol and Fatima.

If there is any doubt about whether men sing fado, let it be know that it is one of the more manly activities. It takes real strength and machismo to sing a good fado song, and often a lot of red wine!

In Lisbon, there are essentially three ways to experience fado. And we mean experience, as fado has its own fascinating and engaging sub-culture in which the audience often interacts with the singers.

• The professional restaurant
• The fado vadio
• The Tasca experience