Search - Fado Today: Mafalda Arnauth - Christina Branco on DVD

Nice video package featuring two great singers

Larry L. Looney | Austin, Texas USA | 10/22/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The only thing that kept me from giving this five stars was the length -- Malfalda and Cristina each get only about 23-25 minutes (6 songs each) -- the total playing time, including the four 'bonus tracks', is around 58 minutes. That being said, as a sampler it's well worth the price. The video and audio quality is quite good -- all of the tunes (including the bonus tracks by Mariza, Maria Ana Bobone, Aldina Duarte and Misia -- two of which are mis-identified on the cover as well as the insert, but correct on the disc menu) were shot in the same Lisbom TV studio, with a small audience. Each of the singers has her own musicians performing with her -- usually guitarra protuguesa, acoustic guitar and either stand-up bass or acoustic bass guitar. Mafalda and Cristina are possessed of amazing voices and no small amount of writing talent -- it's wonderful to continually see young singers refreshing a genre such as this.

Interestingly, the last song of Amalda's set and Cristina's set is shot more as a 'music video' than as a live performance -- this isn't a detraction...it's a good look at how another culture views and utilizes the medium. The four 'bonus tracks are produced in this manner as well.

In between tracks, Mafalda and Cristina talk about their music, what drove them to become performers, what they see as their role, the relationship between poetry and song, &c -- in Portuguese of course, but with easy-to-read English subtitles. The songs, naturally, are in Portuguese as well -- with no subtitles -- but the emotion carried in fado is such that the impact is all there.

There are three of these available in this series -- as far as I am aware. The other two are combos with Mariza / Aldina Duarte and Mísia / Maria Ana Bobone. I'm sure each of those two releases contains 'bonus tracks' to interest the viewer in the rest of the series.

If you're a fan of fado already -- or just interested in the genre -- I can recommend this release. I chose it over the other two because I'm more a fan of these two singers in particular."