FADO – The Saddest Music in the World brings its tale of love and ghosts back to the Firehall Arts Centre, January 14 to February 5
Sara Marreiros returns in the lead role to sing Portugal’s heartrending national music
Photo by Derek Ford
FADO – The Saddest Music in the World makes a much-anticipated return to the Firehall Arts Centre stage from January 14 to February 5.
Produced by the Firehall and Victoria’s Puente Theatre, acclaimed Portuguese-Canadian playwright Elaine Ávila’s play is a tale of love and ghosts set in the back alleys and brothels of old Lisbon.
The musical, which premiered at the Firehall in 2019 to wide acclaim, tells the story of a young woman confronting her country’s fascist past and her own identity. The tale is interwoven with the heartrending national music of Portugal known as fado, which means “fate.”
FADO won the award for Favourite Musical at the 2018 Victoria Fringe Festival, with B.C.’s own beloved Sara Marreiros playing the ghost of Amália Rodrigues, the Queen of Fado. In 2020, FADO won the inaugural JAYMAC Outstanding Production Award at the Greater Victoria Regional Arts Awards.
Marreiros returns in the leading role for this Firehall Arts Centre and Puente Theatre Production coproduction, directed by Mercedes Bátiz-Benét. Other performers onstage include Natércia Napoleão, Lucia Frangione, Judd Palmer, Pedro M. Siqueira, Chris Perrins, and Dan Weisenburger.
“It is great to be bringing this show back to our audiences as it was such a wonderful success when we last produced it in 2019,” the Firehall’s artistic producer Donna Spencer says. “I am delighted that all of the original cast members are able to join us for this production run and to be working once again with our partners at Puente Theatre."
Find tickets and more information here.
Post sponsored by the Firehall Arts Centre.