Lisbon, 18 Nov 2019 (Lusa) – Argentina Santos died today in Lisbon at age 95, Paulo Valentim, the current owner of the fado house Parreirinha de Alfama, told Lusa.
The fado singer was in charge of the fado house from 1950 until the beginning of this century.
She became “a gastronomic reference and traditional fado, where some of the best voices such as Celeste Rodrigues, Lina Maria Alves, Lucília do Carmo, António Mourão, Maria da Fé, among others”, said Paulo Valentim.
She popularized fados such as “A Minha Pronúncia”, “Chico da Mouraria” and “Chafariz d’el Rei”.
She was currently living in the Casa do Artista in Lisbon.
Argentina Santos career
The career of Argentina Santos and the history of Parreirinha, which began as a tavern where fado happened, are confused.
In 2010, Museu do Fado wrote that, by confining most of its journey to Parreirinha de Alfama, Argentina Santos “also made of its house an authentic workshop of fados, scenery of affections and stage of the creative complicity of poets, musicians, and fado singers“.
Among others, the voices of Berta Cardoso, Alfredo Marceneiro, Fernanda Maria, Mariana Silva, Natércia da Conceição, Natalina Bizarro, Helena Tavares, Leonor Santos, Beatriz da Conceição, Flora Pereira and Júlio Peres passed through Parreirinha de Alfama.
In 2003, at the 52nd Grande Noite de Fado, Parreirinha de Alfama received the Casa de Fado Award from Casa de Imprensa.
Referring to the creator of “Chico da Mouraria”, the Fado Museum states: “Its fado has the strength of a proclamation and the containment of a prayer.
They combine human and artistic authenticity in perfect symbiosis. Fearless, the fado of Argentina Santos knows no subterfuge or compromise. It only needs to be authentic”.
Fado singer Argentina Santos was part of the cast of the show “Cabelo Branco é Saudade”, written by Ricardo Pais.
