Maria Alcina, ‘Empress of Fado’ in Brazil, Dies at 86 in Rio

Overview

• She died on January 28, 2026, in Rio de Janeiro.
• The wake runs from 10:00 to 14:00 at the Salão Nobre da Casa de Trás‑os‑Montes e Alto Douro in Tijuca, with burial at 14:30 at Memorial do Carmo in Caju.
• Born in Cetos, Castro Daire, Portugal, she moved to Brazil in 1953 and lived in Rio for more than seven decades.
• She founded A Desgarrada in Ipanema, a fado house that became a gathering place for artists and admirers of Portuguese culture.
• In July 2025 she received the Medalha de Mérito das Comunidades Portuguesas, Gold grade, presented by Secretary of State Emídio Sousa at the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura.