Casa-Museu Amália Rodrigues

Amália Rodrigues was born in ‘the time of cherries’, at five o’clock sharp on July 23, 1920, or at least that’s how it was recorded, despite the fact that the artist celebrated on the first day of the month. Her maternal grandparents raised her in a ‘Portuguese-style house’ and she made her life in Lisbon. She was an ironer, embroiderer, worked in a factory and only later became a fado singer, although from an early age she made no secret of the potential of her voice. She sang the finest poets, not least because of her love of poetry, which she even wrote. She made the works of Ary dos Santos and Camões known to the world, without forgetting her presence in concert halls and on the big screen, thanks to her roles in films and theatre. Few would have imagined that a voice would emerge from old Lisbon and take the lament and longing of a people to five continents. All the loves and sorrows are still hers, because Amália earned eternity.
Standing in front of number 193, we are in Rua de São Bento, in the Portuguese capital. The yellow-painted house reveals its purpose from the curvy letters that spell out Casa-Museu Amália Rodrigues. The artist lived there for more than 40 years, in a typically Portuguese pre-pombaline house, which today belongs to the Amália Rodrigues Foundation, as a means of honouring the last wishes of the woman who wasn’t afraid to sing her heart out. 
To get to the first floor, we climb the staircase that the Portuguese diva walked up until the end of her days. Her presence can be felt everywhere: in the Portuguese tiles, the crockery, the piano, the strings of the Portuguese guitar and the nostalgic scent that permeates the rooms. In the living room, religious pieces and objects of praise are in the majority, upon which words can be read, including, «Amália Rodrigues (...) sang (...) for the poor of Lisbon». The dining room is next door, where cherries adorn the wallpaper, a reminder of her arrival in the world. It was there that the fado singer received colleagues and friends, but also strangers, who knocked on her door to express their gratitude. For a moment, we decided to stay silent, as if imagining her laughter echoing off the walls. 

The artist lived there for more than 40 years

Passing through the wooden door, we enter the kitchen and meet Chico, her 30-year-old parrot, who, between visits, lets out a «call Amália», as if waiting for an answer. The room is simple and white, typical of the 1950s, but there is a special cupboard that reveals one of the singer’s secret tastes: tea. Her favourite was Earl Grey, but inside the furniture is a panoply of them, untouched since she left. For her, everything was good with tea, even sardines.
From there to the second floor you can see more paintings and portraits, and by the top of the stairs you can feel a feminine aura. Although she wasn’t a very vain woman, Amália did have her quirks and fancies, such as Joy perfume by Jean Patou and 219 pairs of size 36 shoes. Many people thought she was tall, but they didn’t realise that her height of 1.58 metres was increased by her platform shoes, which were camouflaged by the long dresses she wore. A large part of that floor is crossed by a walk-in wardrobe that testifies to her exquisite tastes. Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, Disandro, Bruno Magli and Mabelle are just some of the labels that wore on stage, but out of the spotlight, it was the famous cloaks and mules that the fado singer favoured. For make-up, she favoured Christian Dior and her favourite accessories included dark sunglasses, scarves and fans. Jewellery was an important detail, which explains the more than two thousand precious stones of different shapes and sizes in her collection. Nearby is Amália’s bedroom, which has a religious appearance. Pictures, crosses and rosaries in every corner. Saints and Our Lady of Mount Carmel resting on the headboard, which protected her for so many nights. The singer prayed there; after all, for her, everything was God’s will. The library is the last stop, where you’ll find record players and books beyond count. The fado singer spoke five languages: French, Italian, Spanish, English and Portuguese, which explains the diversity of her reading. Some of the titles that catch the eye include ‘Eu hei-de voltar um dia’ (I’ll be back one day), which makes us wonder if you ever left, Amália... because in your voice we can still hear an entire country.