Then Aldina was invited to sing nightly in a Fado venue; it was as if she had passed a tough entrance exam into a Fado school. She respected and maintained the rituals she had always found distinctive and beautiful about Fado: a black shawl, a black dress, silence, diffuse lighting. Everything she had ever loved about Fado. Her success led to invitations to sing in other Fado venues, to guest in concerts. One day she was invited to sing abroad, in the Piccolo Teatro of Milan; to sing Fado in a play about poet Fernando Pessoa, written by novelist and essayist Antonio Tabucchi and directed by lead actor Giancarlo Dettori, director Lamberto Puggelli and the Master, Giorgio Strehler. The experience helped shape what was to become her attitude towards Fado, leading her to be more careful about what she sang, and how she sang it. Besides singing professionally at the Senhor Vinho venue, Aldina has worked in the the Portuguese Cinemathèque - Cinema Museum and is currently a researcher at EMI Music Portugal where she is organizing the company's immense archives of Portuguese music - much of which is made up of Fado recordings. Beginning 2004, Aldina Duarte released her debut album “Apenas o Amor”. Since then she has been performing concerts in Portugal, Spain, France, Morocco, Italy, Belgium, Austria and The Netherlands. “Apenas o Amor” since its release has been referred as one of the best albums of 2004 by the Portuguese press. Her second cd "Crua" was released in January of 2006.The album was produced by João Monge who was also responsible for writing the lyrics... And now, 2008, the third album "Mulheres ao Espelho"...
Princesa Prometida
Aldina Duarte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que a brilhar dá que pensar
Nos mistérios da beleza;
Espelho meu, que aconteceu
Do que é teu e do que é meu
Já não temos a certeza
A moldura deste espelho
Tem os traços duma flor
Muitas vezes foi partido
Prometido e proíbido
Aos encantos do amor
Espelho meu diz a verdade
Da idade da saudade
À mulher envelhecida
Segue em frente na memória
Mata a glória dessa história
Da princesa prometida
The lyrics of Aldina Duarte's song Princesa Prometida speak about the veil of mystery that shrouds the concept of beauty. The singer explains that their vision is distorted by a veil that makes them ponder the secrets of beauty. The metaphor of the veil represents the singer's inability to see things clearly and the challenges of understanding the intricacies of beauty. The singer then turns to a mirror, which serves as a reflection of themselves in relation to what belongs to them and what is outside of themselves. The singer notes that the reflection is uncertain, implying that they are unsure of how to see themselves in a way that is true and authentic.
The following verse refers to the "moldura deste espelho" or the frame of the mirror, which is made of old gold and has the shape of a flower. The flower imagery can be interpreted as a symbol of femininity and fragility, suggesting that the singer's understanding of beauty is intertwined with these concepts. The frame has also been "prometido e proíbido" or promised and forbidden to the charms of love, indicating that the singer's experiences with love have impacted their concept of beauty. Finally, the song turns to address the "princesa prometida" or the promised princess, which could be interpreted as a symbol of the ideal of beauty that society often imposes on women. The singer urges the listener to move beyond this constructed concept of beauty and create their own narrative, free from the constraints of societal expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Há um véu no meu olhar
There is a veil over my eyes
Que a brilhar dá que pensar
That shining makes me think
Nos mistérios da beleza;
About the mysteries of beauty
Espelho meu, que aconteceu
My mirror, what happened
Do que é teu e do que é meu
To what is yours and what is mine
Já não temos a certeza
We no longer have certainty
A moldura deste espelho
The frame of this mirror
Espelho feito de oiro velho
Mirror made of old gold
Tem os traços duma flor
Has the features of a flower
Muitas vezes foi partido
Many times it has been broken
Prometido e proíbido
Promised and forbidden
Aos encantos do amor
To the charms of love
Espelho meu diz a verdade
My mirror tells the truth
Da idade da saudade
Of the age of nostalgia
À mulher envelhecida
To the aging woman
Segue em frente na memória
Move forward in memory
Mata a glória dessa história
Kills the glory of that story
Da princesa prometida
Of the promised princess
Contributed by Colin F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Carlos Maza
Hay un velo en mi mirada
Que al brillar hace pensar
En los misterios de la belleza
Espejo mío, qué sucedió
De lo que es tuyo y lo que es mío
Ya no tenemos certeza
La moldura de este espejo
Espejo de oro viejo
Tiene los trazos de una flor
Muchas veces fue partido
Prometido y prohibido
A los encantos del amor
Espejo mío, di la verdad
De la edad de la nostalgia
La mujer envejecida
Sigue adelante en la memoria
Mata la gloria de esta historia
De la princesa prometida
António Jacinto
Quem consegue não admirar esta bela e singular voz!
Beatriz Banazol
Uma fadista inigualável! 🌹
jodeca100
Maravilhosa interpretação, belo fado e bela letra. Avante Aldina!
Luís Vaz Lopes
L.Vaz Lopes - Mirandela
O gato escaldado da fadista Aldina Duarte é um fado extraordinário. Parabéns!
Mario Dias
Oiço muito esta senhora. Uma maravilha esta voz.
Jose Palmeiro
Uma maravilha!!! Este é o meu Fado!!!
Stefan Nedelchev
Aldina is great fadista. I am looking forward to hear her again in Senhor Vinho! All songs in this CD " Mulheres ao Espelho" are amazing! Obrigado! Greetings from Bulgaria!
Carlos Maza
Hay un velo en mi mirada
Que al brillar hace pensar
En los misterios de la belleza
Espejo mío, qué sucedió
De lo que es tuyo y lo que es mío
Ya no tenemos certeza
La moldura de este espejo
Espejo de oro viejo
Tiene los trazos de una flor
Muchas veces fue partido
Prometido y prohibido
A los encantos del amor
Espejo mío, di la verdad
De la edad de la nostalgia
La mujer envejecida
Sigue adelante en la memoria
Mata la gloria de esta historia
De la princesa prometida
Fernando Pérez Ortí
SU VOZ ME PRODUCE PAZ Y SOSIEGO. UNA FELICIDAD ESCUCHARLA.
Fel Medeiros
Absolutely beautiful voice! Bravo, fadista!