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Traditionally performed by a single vocalist accompanied by a duo of classical guitar and 12-string Portuguese guitar, fado is Portugal’s great contribution to music. The form has its roots among the poor working-class people of early 19th-century Lisbon, and it typically expresses strong feelings of sorrow, longing and nostalgia. Nowadays fado clubs divide themselves into casual tascas (traditional pubs) and more formal restaurant-like settings. In either case, reserve a table after dinner, as the food rarely matches the quality of the singing.