Photography: Diário de Lisboa
This article should start with a brief note: the following paragraphs are not intended to be an exhaustive and complete study of the lasting relationship that Amália Rodrigues built and kept with Ericeira throughout her life and career.
This compilation of facts, gathered in various works about the greatest Diva of Portuguese music, is only intended to kick-start something that may be developed in the future.
it was at Foz do Lizandro that Amália met Alain Oulman
There are, for example, recently edited books (“Amália: Ditadura e Revolução”, by Miguel Carvalho, or “Amália nas Suas Palavras”, by Manuel da Fonseca) that are not included in this research due to a mere question of timing and resource management available regarding AZUL – Ericeira Mag, that could not let this artist’s centenary pass by and humbly associates itself with the numerous initiatives and publications that started months ago and will continue for time to come. Several other examples are known that testify to her connection to Ericeira, such as Amália and her sister Celeste used to buy barnacles from Henrique ‘Gramanha’ when they spent time in this region.
Gathered by topics, concrete episodes and situations described in various works will be reviewed here, including biographies and books that focus on the greatest Fadista ever: from the essential Vítor Pavão dos Santos (author of the seminal “Amália – Uma Biografia” and from the less known from the general public “O Fado da Tua Voz – Amália e os Poetas) to the novel “Amália – o Romance da sua Vida”, by Sónia Louro, and Fernando Dacosta, with “Amália – A Ressurreição” – in all of them, there are references to Ericeira, showing how this was not just a place where she would like to stroll from time to time. As an example, Amália came to have a home in São Julião and it was in Foz do Lizandro that she met Alain Oulman, the composer who would later play a pivotal role in her career.
If, as António Variações sang, “we all have Amália in our voice / and we have in her voice / the voice of all of us” (original: “todos nós temos Amália na voz / e temos na sua voz / a voz de todos nós”), then Ericeira is also represented in a life and career that have conquered eternity.
She liked to camp in Ericeira, with the sea breeze blowing
THE HOUSE OF SÃO JULIÃO
The reference appears in the work «Amália – a Ressurreição», by Fernando Dacosta:
“And Amália did so, leaving a vast and extremely valuable heritage: the mansion on Rua de São Bento (valued at PTE one million), Quinta do Brejão, consisting of a house, an annex and 14 hectares (PTE 300 000), five floors on Rua Presidente Wilson, in Lisbon (PTE 175 000), land in the areas of Ericeira and Anadia and one third of a pharmacy, in addition to PTE 210 000 in bank accounts ”
This image appears in the book «O Fado da Tua Voz – Amália e os Poetas», accompanied by the following caption: “Amália in her refuge half a dozen kilometers from Ericeira, a gipsy camp like Santo António fair, roasting sardines. News in Diário de Lisboa on June 14, 1959, with this photo”.
WILD CAMPING AND THE FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH ALAIN OULMAN
It is mentioned in three books: «Amália – a Ressurreição», by Fernando Dacosta; «Amália – o Romance da sua Vida», by Sónia Louro; and «O Fado da Tua Voz – Amália e os Poetas».
«Amália – a Ressurreição», by Fernando Dacosta
“Oulman met Amália Rodrigues in 1962, on a wild camping site where she spent her holidays, at the mouth of the Lisandro River (SIC), next to Ericeira, which she had bought. One of her goals when looking for it was to interpret the top poets of the Portuguese language. This is how it happened and so her albums were born, works with creations by the author of Os Lusíadas, Cecília Meireles, David Mourão-Ferreira, Pedro Homem de Melo, Manuel Alegre, Alexandre O’Neill and Ary dos Santos. «I sang them because they were fados to me», justified Amália.”
«Amália – O Romance da sua Vida», by Sónia Louro
“She liked to camp in Ericeira, with the sea breeze blowing more vigorously at that moment and forcing her to hold her hat (…) opening her eyes to appreciate Lisandro’s beach (SIC) and feeling a wave break in her feet (…)
– It’s Alain Oulman – introduced Luiz de Macedo, placing his hand on the shoulder of the man who he had beside him (…)
– (…) I am passionate about you and your music, so I would like you to hear the composition I did for Vagamundo.
(…) Amália complied with the request and the three went to the house of an acquaintance of Luiz de Macedo who did not live far away and had a piano.
(…) Right in that musical composition that Alain showed her, she realised that he could be the answer to what she had always wanted.”
«O Fado da tua Voz – Amália e os Poetas»
“The fado singer will remain in the wife that I will be”, Amália said to Diário Popular, on May 13, 1961. She knew, deep down, that it was not meant to last. And soon, she was camping in Ericeira, or receiving, in September, the popular Mexican comic actor Cantinflas, at her home in Lisbon.”
She may have spent the honeymoon with César Seabra at the Foz do Lizandro camp
The honeymoon with César Seabra
It is mentioned in the book «Amália – o Romance da Sua Vida», by Sónia Louro, where it reads that Amália spent the honeymoon with her last husband, César Seabra, at the camp located in Foz do Lizandro.
“SurFado” is the title of this tribute from Tiago ‘Saca’ Pires to Amália Rodrigues, in the most recent connection between Amália and Ericeira.
Esta publicação também está disponível em | This article is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)
