Documents and iconography

The Amália Rodrigues Foundation keeps, in its collection, a documentary heritage of incalculable value.

Besides poems by Amália and untouched manuscripts (a lot of them not yet investigated), this collection also contains admirer letters that are huge affection demonstrations, newspapers clippings, institutional correspondence, and, as evidence of the irrefutable worldwide importance of Amália, diplomas of her decorations, and titles of various orders.

Correspondence from Alberto João Jardim (1979)

"Quando Se Gosta D'Alguém"

"Andorinha" (unpublished)

Telegram from Nicolau Breyner

The manuscripts are, indeed, the most precious documents that the House Museum keeps, existing various versions of the same poem, and even drawings of Amália on the manuscripts, like flowers, a girl… Between these, there are, for example, the poems Ó Gente da Minha Terra, Fui Ao Mar Buscar Sardinhas, Morrinha, Quando Se Gosta D’Alguém, among others.

It is also important the group of lyrics and music sheets that are at the House Museum, besides the audio-visual heritage that César Seabra, Amália’s husband, recorded back then with his recording machine “Super 8”. These videos are everyday footage of Amália in her house in Brejão watering the backyard, for example, or even the backstage of the film As Ilhas Encantadas.

The Foundation includes also an enormous photographic heritage, that (at least a part of it) has not yet been seen by the public. They are photographs of Amália in different everyday situations, far from the stage spotlight, or the press cameras.

We must still mention everything that has been published on Amália, books that are also in the Foundation’s documental collections. Let us look at those titles:

Amália Uma Biografia, work edited in 1987, written by Vítor Pavão dos Santos; it is the only biography of Amália, and it is exclusively written based on interviews given by herself in the house of São Bento in Lisbon.
Versos, edition of 1997, with Amália’s poems, some that she sang, others that she did not; Amália was the poet that she sang the most.
Amália, Uma Estranha Forma de Vida, edited in 1992, written by Vítor Pavão dos Santos.
Fotobiografia de Séc. XX – Amália Rodrigues, publication of 2008, written by Cristina Isabel F.A. Vieira and coordination by Joaquim Vieira, is an attempt to assemble Amália’s biography through photography.
Ver Amália – Os Filmes de Amália Rodrigues, 2009, written by Tiago Batista, is a work that mentions the films in which Amália had a role, its importance, and the importance of Amália.
Amália, Coração Independente, publication of 2009, edited for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, by the occasion of the ten-year anniversary of Amália’s death, is one of the best essays of several researchers, including Vítor Pavão dos Santos, Rui Vieira Nery, among others.
Amália – a Divina Voz de Portugal, publication of 2009, written by Rui Martins Ferreira, is a Master paper in “Gender Studies” on Amália Rodrigues.
Os Meus Trinta Anos Com Amália, publication of 2009, written by Maria Inês de Almeida Estrela, with the memories of Estrela Carvas, Amália’s assistant.
Pensar Amália, an edition of 2010, written by Rui Vieira Nery, is a book with various essays on Amália.
Amália Confissões de Uma Noite de Primavera, publication of 2011, written by Luís Machado, is an interview of Amália.
A minha primeira Amália, publication of 2012, written by Maria Rosário Pereira, is a children's book with the history of Amália’s life.
Amália Uma Voz no Mundo, a publication of 2012, written by Jean-Jacques Lafaye, was firstly published in French.
O Fado na Tua Voz, Amália e os Poetas, edition of 2014, by Vítor Pavão dos Santos, is a reunion of all the poets and poems that Amália sang.
Amália no Mundo, edition of 2014, written by Ramiro Guiñazú, is a book about Amália’s discography edited all over the world.
Para Uma História o Fado, an edition of 2014, written by Rui Vieira Nery, is an essential book on the study of the evolution of fado, from the 19th century until Amália. Also published in English.
Amália – A Ressurreição, edition of 2017, written by Fernando Dacosta, is a collection of some stories on Amália.