Ananda Botelho Mendes marks Women’s Month with Fado Mulher on March 25 at Teatro Rival Petrobras, blending fado classics with a new EP.
One of the few Brazilian singers working as a fadista, Ananda Botelho Mendes returns to Rio de Janeiro with a show built around female strength and the lasting power of Portuguese song. Known as “the girl from Rio of fado,” she will perform “Fado Mulher” at Teatro Rival Petrobras on March 25 at 7:30 p.m.
The date carries extra meaning. Rival Petrobras turns 92 in March, reinforcing its place as one of Rio’s enduring cultural venues. In that setting, Ananda’s concert connects heritage, artistic resistance and renewal.
Where classic fado meets today
The show premiered in 2024 at Centro da Música Carioca Artur da Távola and helped establish Ananda Botelho Mendes as one of Brazil’s most expressive interpreters of Portuguese repertoire. The set list includes songs made famous by Amália Rodrigues and Carlos do Carmo, while also echoing the contemporary voices of Mariza, Ana Moura and Carminho.
At the same time, the project highlights how fado speaks to Brazilian audiences. The genre is often linked to longing and romance, yet it also carries wit, irreverence and a festive pulse. Because of that, “Fado Mulher” reaches both older listeners who lived through fado’s golden era and younger audiences discovering it now.
New EP marks a fresh chapter
This edition of the concert also celebrates the release of an EP made with Agenor de Oliveira, a composer associated with the late samba figures Nelson Sargento and Délcio Carvalho. On the record, Ananda performs a traditional fado with lyrics she wrote herself, three songs by the Rio composer and the Portuguese classic “Perseguição.”
The program features iconic fados, songs and marches such as “Nem Às Paredes Confesso” and “Casa Portuguesa.” It also includes an emotional medley of “Ai, Maria!”—written by Amália Rodrigues after living for many years in Rio—and “Lata D’Água,” a classic from Rio carnival culture.
Musicians and special guests
On stage, Ananda is joined by Igor Lazier and Lúcio Rodrigues, acclaimed seven-string guitar players from Rio’s choro scene. Together, they revisit the musical language of fado with clarity and depth. Ananda also plays the Portuguese guitar, an instrument rarely seen in Brazil despite its deep ties to the history of the Brazilian mandolin.
The concert also features special appearances by Agenor de Oliveira and Portuguese singer Inês Carreira, who is based in Rio de Janeiro. In addition, the show includes an unusual tribute to Carmen Miranda, further expanding the cultural bridge between Brazil and Portugal.
Beyond the music, the script brings in stories and historical notes about fado. That research has accompanied Ananda since 2020 and helps shape her ongoing effort to reclaim the Lisbon-born genre on Rio stages.
Service
Show: Fado Mulher
Date: March 25, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue opens: 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Teatro Rival Petrobras
Address: Rua Álvaro Alvim, 33 – Subsolo, Cinelândia, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil
Voice and Portuguese guitar: Ananda Botelho Mendes
Seven-string guitar: Igor Lazier
Seven-string guitar: Lúcio Rodrigues
Special guest: Agenor de Oliveira
Special guest: Inês Carreira
Arrangements: Wallace Oliveira, Sérgio Borges, Igor Lazier and Lúcio Rodrigues
General direction: Agenor de Oliveira
Artistic direction and script: Ananda Botelho Mendes
Executive production: Elfi Kürten
Press office: Clóvis Corrêa
Tickets: from R$ 60.00 to R$ 140.00
Sales: Sympla or the venue box office
Capacity: 350 seats
Running time: 120 minutes
Age rating: 18+; minors only when accompanied by parents or legal guardians
Photo: Divulgação, Alexandre Araujo
