Marrakech – This September, Rabat will once again be swept away by the music of saudade as the Fado Festival returns for its 8th Moroccan edition, lighting up the Théâtre National Mohammed V on September 18-19.
Born in the backstreets of Lisbon and now celebrated worldwide, Fado isn’t just music — it’s memory, longing, and storytelling set to the strings of a Portuguese guitar. And this year, the festival isn’t just bringing concerts.
It’s bringing a whole cultural immersion: from powerful live performances to an intimate conference and even a documentary screening.
But the spotlight? It shines brightest on Carlos Paredes, the legendary guitarist who transformed the Portuguese guitar into a solo star.
Known as the “man with a thousand fingers,” Paredes redefined how the world heard Fado, leaving behind masterpieces like Guitarra Portuguesa and Movimentos Perpétuos.
So, what’s on Rabat’s Fado calendar?
September 18 kicks off with a conference led by guitarist Paulo Soares, diving into Paredes’ revolutionary impact on Portuguese music.
Later that evening, Soares joins forces with renowned guitarist Luis Guerreiro and rising Fado voice Beatriz Villar for a heartfelt concert homage.
September 19 begins with the screening of Movimentos Perpetuos, Edgar Pera’s intimate documentary tracing Paredes’ life and legacy, followed by a concert featuring the mesmerizing Filipa Vieira, the new voice of Fado’s future.
With every note, every chord, and every lyric, Rabat is set to transform into a little Lisbon for two nights only.
The festival reminds us that while borders divide countries, music dissolves them, and sometimes, all it takes is one guitar to carry us across oceans.
For lovers of culture, music, and stories sung from the heart, the Fado Festival is less of an event and more of a rendezvous with emotion.
Because if Lisbon has saudade, this September, Rabat will too.
