Ujarzmianie muzycznego dziedzictwa. Fado i cante alentejano w czasach dyktatury Estado Novo w Portugalii
Taming Musical Heritage. Fado and Cante Alentejano under the Estado Novo Dictatorship in Portugal

Summary/Abstract: This article presents the Estado Novo regime’s (1933–1974) approach to Portugal’s musical heritage, using two musical genres as examples: fado and cante alentejano. The main theoretical framework for the reflections undertaken in the text is provided by the concepts of dissonant heritage as developed by J.E. Tunbridge and G.J. Ashworth, as well as L. Smith’s notions of heritage use and authorized heritage discourse (AHD). The first part outlines the general principles of cultural policy during the dictatorship, which stemmed from the ideology shaped and upheld by the regime. It highlights the role played by Emissora Nacional—the state radio station—in promoting the idea of “Portugueseness” through music, as well as the special significance of folklore in the strategies adopted by the National Propaganda Secretariat. The article then describes selected regime activities related to the institutionalization and control of fado and cante alentejano: various forms of censorship and regulation, as well as the standardization and professionalization of the artist’s profession. The main conclusion that emerges from the analysis concerns the extent to which the Estado Novo regime was able to influence the development and social image of both genres. Their contemporary status and enduring popularity testify to the fact that they only partially yielded to the dictatorship, and that their performative potential and artistic-emotional depth allowed them to function across diverse socio-political contexts.

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