Glamorous Portuguese vocalist Mariza, who is credited with reinvigorating the traditional fado blues style, won best European artist.

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For a fado weekend, navigate the winding streets of the Alfama district, the spiritual home of the genre, to find the best venues.

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Take a Portuguese guitar, a soulful singer and a generous dollop of tender, world-weary melancholy and you have fado: the music that has been the soundtrack to Lisbon life for centuries.

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In Portugal fado and Amalia gradually made a comeback.

ECONOMIST: Amalia Rodrigues

Italians claimed to see links between fado and opera.

ECONOMIST: Amalia Rodrigues

The impressive line-up includes Berlin's own Trio Fado, who give famous fados (Portuguese songs) new arrangements (19 July), and the Deutsches Symphonie Orchestra playing the works of Roussel, Saint-Saens and Mozart (23 August).

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One other unique attraction: Alfama has always offered live Fado performances, often by big names straight from Lisbon, and this is not an easy music for fans to find in New York venues.

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Fado was the music of Portuguese tradition.

ECONOMIST: Amalia Rodrigues

Fado itself fell out of fashion.

ECONOMIST: Amalia Rodrigues