Maria do Rosário Bettencourt

Maria do Rosário Bettencourt was born on June 22, 1933. Raised in an artists’ family, Maria do Rosário Bettencourt soon felt the appeal of this environment although she has a secretary degree.

Despite she rarely listened to the radio at her parents’ home, something interested her in the gender. One day she decides, by her won initiative, to go to Emissora Nacional, saying she wanted to sing. She was immediately received and performed the fado "Vila Franca".

However, things did not go as planned and she only returns to Emissora Nacional some months later, debuting at 19 years old, accompanying Fernando Farinha. She participates in studio shows, Serões para Trabalhadores and others promoted by the Emissora, or the Portuguese TV.

She also made the fado house circuit, performing at "Arreda", in Cascais, by invitation of José Pracana, "Cota D´Armas"; in 1981 she joins the cast of "Taverna do Embuçado", where she sang for two years, between 1981 and 1983.

She recorded with the main labels - Valentim de Carvalho and Alvorada - and claims to have been accompanied by the best instrument players, such as Raul Nery, Fontes Rocha, Joel Pina, António Chaínho, José Maria Nóbrega, Raul Silva, José Pracana, among others.

She always chose her repertoire and poems very well: Maria Manuel Cid, Lima Brumon, Fernando Pessoa, Camões, Bernardo Torres, are some of her references.

In 1974, she performs in the movie by Fernando Matos Silva, "O Mal Amado", with João Mota and Maria do Céu Guerra.

Maria do Rosário Bettencourt regrets being put aside after the 25 April revolution: "... I performed in shows filmed on the street because I never did studio shows again (...) I was heard on the radio and nowhere else".

When she got married, Maria do Rosário went to live in Torres Vedras, reason why she steped back from the "fado dynamics ", although she still dreams to record again.

Source:

Museu do Fado – interviewed on the 26 February 2007