Adriano Maria Correia Gomes de Oliveira

Adriano Maria Correia Gomes de Oliveira was born on April 9, 1942 in Porto, to a conservative Roman Catholic family. His family moved to Avintes, a small village near the Douro river, when he was a few months old. He grew up in a rural environment, surrounded by vineyards, dogs and trees. He completed his secondary studies at the Liceu Alexandre Herculano in Porto, and then enrolled at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra in 1959. There he became involved in the cultural and sporting activities of the academic life. He lived at the Real República Ras-Teparta, a student residence that was a center of opposition to the regime. He was a soloist at the Orfeon Académico, a member of the Grupo Universitário de Danças e Cantares, an actor at the CITAC, a guitarist at the Conjunto Ligeiro da Tuna Académica and a volleyball player at the Briosa. He also discovered his passion for fado, the traditional Portuguese music genre that originated in Coimbra. He learned to play the Portuguese guitar and became one of the most prominent interpreters of fado de Coimbra, a style that is characterized by its lyrical and academic themes. He recorded his first EP, Fados de Coimbra, in 1963, accompanied by António Portugal and Rui Pato. The album included his first rendition of Trova do vento que passa, a poem by Manuel Alegre that would become a sort of anthem of resistance to the dictatorship. Adriano was part of a generation of composers and singers of political songs that used music and lyrics to fight against the Estado Novo regime that ruled Portugal from 1933 to 1974. He was a member of the Portuguese Communist Party and participated in the student protests of 1962 against Salazarism. He was also a personal friend of other musicians who shared his ideals, such as Zeca Afonso, Padre Fanhais, Sérgio Godinho and Luísa Basto. He married Maria Matilde de Lemos de Figueiredo Leite in 1966 and had two children with her: Isabel, born in 1967 and José Manuel, born in 1971. The couple would later separate in 1975. Adriano never finished his law degree, as he was called to serve in the military in 1967. During his service, he released his second album, O canto e as armas, with poems by Manuel Alegre. He received the Prémio Pozal Domingues for his work in 1969. He moved to Lisbon in 1970 and worked at the Press Office of the FIL - Industrial Fair of Lisbon until 1974. He also released two more albums: Cantaremos in 1970 and Gente d'aqui e de agora in 1971. After the Carnation Revolution that ended the dictatorship in 1974, he released a single called Que nunca mais with poems by Manuel da Fonseca. The record, directed and produced by Fausto Bordalo Dias, included a rare participation of guitarist Carlos Paredes. He was also nominated artist of the year by Musicweek in 1974. Adriano continued to perform and record until his death in 1982. He was also a cultural advisor to the Portuguese Embassy in Rome from 1989 to 1991. He participated in many festivals and concerts, such as the Avante! Festival, the annual fest of the Portuguese Communist Party. He was also a close friend of the socialist Manuel Alegre, who wrote many of his lyrics. Adriano died on October 16, 1982 in Avintes, at the age of 40, due to a cerebral hemorrhage. He was buried at the Avintes Cemetery, alongside his parents. He left behind a legacy of songs that expressed his love for Portugal, his commitment to democracy and his hope for a better future.