Seoulites can now feel the longing and melancholy of Fado, the traditional music of Portugal, by visiting the exhibition “History of Fado” at the Portuguese Cultural Center in the Portuguese Embassy through Sept. 21.

Portuguese Ambassador to Korea Antonio Quinteiro Nobre and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies professor Maria Joao Amaral helped a mixed audience of Koreans and expatriates better understand the soulful tones of the country’s traditional music in an opening ceremony Monday.

Fado is usually performed in a duo of wistful guitar chords and vocal lamentations and its narratives focused on the whimsical nature of the sea and the heartache of scorned lovers.

The Fado exhibition will then head to Ulsan, to bolster the participation of Portuguese Fado performers Antonio Zambajo, Carminho and Rodrigo Leao in the Ulsan World Music Festival from Oct. 4-7.

The exhibition is presented in partnership between the embassy and the Portuguese language department at HUFS.

(ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)