Fado in Coimbra Portugal

We are familiar with fado, the mournful and often dramatic music of Portugal, being sung by women. In the university town of Coimbra in Portugal we attended a performance where only men who were students or ex students of the university sang fado. The fado here was sung as part of the students' and teachers' protests especially under the dictatorship and it still has a political strain. it is also sung by young men wooing their sweethearts, and as part of the tradition of singing sentimental sings about the students' time at the university when they graduate. this performance had the young men singin in front of a large screen on which was projected scenes associated with the history of fado in Coimbra. It was a wonderful experience in a small, intimate venue.