Amália Rodrigues Symphonic
The great songs of the Queen of Fado in symphonic form: Amália’s voice, a live orchestra and Anabela.
The show
“Amália Rodrigues Symphonic” brings Amália’s voice back to the stage. The singer’s original recordings are heard in the hall, accompanied live by an orchestra, while a screen at the back of the stage shows archive footage of the artist.
Alongside that voice is Anabela, who sings alone and in dialogue with Amália, and a fado trio: Portuguese guitar, fado guitar and bass. The orchestral arrangements span some thirty songs, from the fados that travelled the world to the French, Italian and Spanish repertoire Amália recorded.
Created by Laurent Rossi, the show comes in several line-ups, from a 12-piece chamber orchestra to a 45-piece symphony orchestra, and in a philharmonic band version, designed to play with each town’s own musicians.
Why programme it
The original voice. Not an imitation, nor a tribute sung by others: you hear Amália herself, in her recordings, with a live orchestra and archive footage.
Tailored to the hall. From 12 to 45 musicians, or with the municipal philharmonic band. The format adapts to each venue’s stage and project.
A proven record. Casino Estoril, Coliseu Micaelense, Amadora and Marina de Albufeira; in 2026, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro.
Press
“…what was achieved in the dialogue between Amália and Anabela was magical.”
— José d’Encarnação, duas linhas (Portugal, 2024)
“‘Amália Sinfónico’ […] fully met, without a doubt, the most demanding expectations that audiences could have imagined.”
— José d’Encarnação, duas linhas (Portugal, 2024)
The music: from “Gaivota” to “Foi Deus”
Some thirty songs from Amália’s repertoire, in orchestral arrangements, with Portuguese guitar, fado guitar and bass.
Amália sings in her original recordings; the orchestra, the fado trio and Anabela play and sing live around that voice, while the screen shows archive footage of the artist.
Watch the show
▶ Watch the teaser on YouTube More videos: Teaser 3 · RTP · “Foi Deus” · RTP2 · Jornal 2 · RTP Mundo · Brazil 2026.
From Casino Estoril to Brazil
In October 2024, on the 25th anniversary of Amália’s death, the show played the Salão Preto e Prata of the Casino Estoril, with the Orquestra Clássica de Lisboa conducted by Rui Pinheiro. Ponta Delgada and Amadora followed, with a philharmonic band, then the Marina de Albufeira and, in May 2026, three theatres in Brazil.
With the local band
In the philharmonic band version, the town’s own musicians play. That is how it was in Ponta Delgada, in June 2025: more than 55 musicians from a philharmonic band of São Miguel took the stage at the Coliseu Micaelense. In July, in the Parque Central in Amadora, it was the turn of the Banda da Sociedade Filarmónica Comércio e Indústria da Amadora, conducted by Hélder Gonçalves. The producer prepares the work with the band’s direction.
Creation and cast
Amália Rodrigues (1920–1999) is fado’s greatest voice. She debuted at the Paris Olympia in 1956 and sang in Portuguese, French, Italian and Spanish. She has rested in the Panteão Nacional since 2001. In 2011, UNESCO listed fado as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Anabela won the Grande Noite do Fado in 1989, aged 12, and the Festival RTP da Canção in 1993, with “A cidade (até ser dia)”, which took her to Eurovision. She then built a career in musical theatre, in Filipe La Féria productions such as “My Fair Lady” and “The Sound of Music”.
Laurent Rossi, author of the concept and artistic director, is principal horn of the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa and conducts line-ups of up to 24 musicians. The show is produced by Rossio Music Publishing, a Lisbon publisher founded in 2008.
On stage, with Anabela, the trio of Daniel Freire (Portuguese guitar), Duarte Nunes (fado guitar) and Rafael Carvalho (bass). At the Casino Estoril and in Albufeira, conductor Rui Pinheiro led the Orquestra Clássica de Lisboa.
Photographs
Photographs: © @bapsafotography (cover) · © João P. Moutinho (@joaopmoutinho)
Programme Amália Rodrigues Symphonic
For dates, availability, line-up and a technical assessment for your venue, speak to the Ars Luminae booking team, which represents the show exclusively in Portugal. Now programming for 2027 and 2028. The full technical rider is sent on request.