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Rodrigo Costa FelixPortuguese Fado

Rodrigo Costa Felix started singing Fado at the age of 17. 6 months after his debut singing Fado at a Fado house in Lisbon, he got his first invitation to perform as a hired singer at one of the trendiest venues in the business: So Caetano. Music was now his life, his passion. Later, another invitation to perform at one the most historical ones, Taverna do Embuado, and has been, since 2001, guest star every Thursdays and Saturdays at Clube de Fado, the most renowned Fado house in Portugal. Never neglecting his studies (hes a Sound Engineer at RTP television station), he started participating in major Fado events throughout the country, mainly with one of the biggest names ever, Joo Braga. Garcia de Resende Theatre in vora was his first. Many followed: So Carlos National Theatre, So Joo Theatre, both Lisbons and Portos Coliseums, So Lus Theatre, Belm Cultural Centre, Aula Magna, etc. In 1995 he had his first recording experience in Alma Nova, together with Maria Ana Bobone and Miguel Capucho, the first album from the so called New Generation of Fado singers.

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He appeared in some TV shows, like the tributes to the queen of Fado, Amlia Rodrigues, in Lisbon, Oporto, Panteo Nacional, Caf Luso, and in many concerts also broadcasted like Fados no Parque, Fados de Sempre I and II, Fados de Maro, L Vai Lisboa and several others. His international career began in 1997 with a trip to Macau, to perform at Clube Militar (to where he would return in 1999), and has been travelling around the world ever since: N.J.P.A.C. (New Jersey) in 1998 and 2000, Barbican Centre in London (1999), Gustine California (2001) and many other in Paris, Madrid, Luxemburg, Stuttgart, Toronto, Bologna, Bayonne, etc.

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He was guest singer, together with Ana Sofia Varela, of Sol y Luna Flamenco and Fado, a musical by the Compaia de Danza del Siglo XXI, with which he toured around Europe between September 2000 and March 2001. He participated in many Fado compilations and has a guest in many albums, like the latest (Al Rescate del Alma) by Maria do Ceo, a well known Galician singer. Hes one of the singers, together with Mariza, Caman and Ana Sofia Varela, in Mrio Pachecos Clube de Fado A Msica e a Guitarra, a CD/DVD recorded live in 2005 at Queluz National Palace. It has already been staged in Den Haag and at Teatro Albeniz in Madrid, where Rodrigo performed together with Mariza, followed by a tour in Holland.

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In 2008 he recorded his first solo album, produced by Mrio Pacheco (with an introductory note by Adriana Calcanhotto) where he sings poets like Fernando Pessoa, Vincius de Moraes, Antnio Gedeo, Fernanda de Castro, Manuel de Andrade, musics by Mrio Pacheco, Fontes Rocha, and many classics like Vendaval and Guitarra Triste. He also wrote himself a couple of lyrics: his wife, Marta Pereira da Costa, the only female Fado guitarist (Portuguese Guitar) in Portugal, is his guest musician in one of them, Me, music by the famous Jos Afonso.

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This year Rodrigo launched his second CD, Fados de Amor (Farol). A much more mature album, dedicated to women! Like Rodrigo says: women are the ambassadors of love in the world, so its only natural to call this CD Fados de Amor (love) and dedicate it not only to the women of my life, but to all of them. On this album, Rodrigos voice and interpretation are more powerful than ever but also more emotional and sincere. In it he sings classics like Rosinha dos Limes and O teu olhar, but essentially he tried to look for new poetry and music. Thats why we have two poems, Paixes Secretas and Nos Olhos de Algum, by one of the most sought-after poet in Fado nowadays: Tiago Torres da Silva. He also wrote the introductory note. The first single is Amigo Aprendiz, with a stunning poem by Portugals great Fernando Pessoa and a wonderful tune by Tiago Bettencourt, an original made especially for Rodrigo.

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Worth of notice also poems by Pedro Homem de Melo, Rui de Noronha and Ana Vidal. We can also find two impressive duets: Morena (Guerra Junqueiro/Pedro Pinhal) with Ktia Guerreiro, one of the most international Fado singers ever; and Fado Contido (Ana Geraldo/Rogrio Charraz) with Angolan singer Aline Frazo, a rising star in world music. Rodrigo will stage these Fados de Amor in one of Lisbons most important venues, Centro Cultural de Belm, on the 11th of July. This will be the beginning of a tour throughout the country. Before that hell appear in Madrid for the 2nd edition of Fado Festival on the 21st of June and at Feira do Artesanato do Estoril on the 29th. Also check: www.rodrigocostafelix.com www.facebook.com/rodrigocostafelixoficial www.myspace.com/rodrigocostafelix

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