“The Fado lost Maria da Nazaré,” wrote Margarida Balseiro Lopes on her X social media page. “She was a great fado singer with a career spanning more than half a century, who captivated audiences in Portugal and abroad. The country is grateful to her, and so am I. Farewell!”
Fado singer Maria da Nazaré, a two-time winner of the Grande Noite do Fado de Lisboa, passed away at dawn today in Corroios at the age of 79.
Born Maria da Nazaré Martins on February 9, 1946, in Barreiro, Setúbal district, she moved as a young girl to the Lisbon neighborhood of Campo de Ourique.
With a professional career exceeding 50 years, Maria da Nazaré was awarded the Amália Award for Best Performer in 2013. A decade earlier, the Casa da Imprensa honored her with the Career Award.
The fado artist was part of the ensembles of famous fado houses such as Lisboa à Noite, O Embuçado, Senhor Vinho, Clube do Fado, Bacalhau de Molho, and Arreda, and also performed on various international stages.
In 2007, she appeared in the film “Fados” (2007) by Carlos Saura, alongside Mariza, Carlos do Carmo, Vicente da Câmara, Ana Sofia Varela, Carminho, Ricardo Ribeiro, Pedro Moutinho, and Chico Buarque, among others.
She recorded with Fernando Farinha (1928-1978) and bullfighting knight José Mestre Baptista (1940-1985). Her last album, “Regressos” (2019), was recorded with her friend and fellow fado singer António Passão.
