This Thursday, July 23, CTT presents a philatelic issue celebrating the centenary of the most iconic fado singer in Portugal, Amália Rodrigues.

The Philatelic Issue on the centenary of Amalia’s birth ceremony will take place next Thursday, July 23^rd, at Panteão Nacional in Lisbon. It will be attended by the Portuguese Culture Minister, Graça Fonseca, by the Amália Rodrigues Foundation CEO, Prof. Joaquim Vicente Rodrigues, and by CTT’s CEO, João Bento.

One of the stamps shows a dressing cover with strong colours from the Amália Rodrigues Foundation and with a picture of Amália In the 80s as a background; the other stamp shows a dark and colourful shawl with an innovating design and, also as a background, a picture of Amália in a concert in the 80s.

The block of postage stamps has a picture of Amália in a concert in Cartago in 1972 on the left; in the middle, Amália at the radio show “Comboio das Seis e Meia”, in 1952; on the right, Amália at her yard located in Rua de São Bento, in the 90s. The background of the block is the dress Amália wore in Japan, on a worldwide tour in the 80s. 

According to Joaquim Vicente Rodrigues, Amália Rodrigues Foundation CEO, “Amália Rodrigues is a unique symbol of Portugal. To celebrate the centenary of her birth is to honour and thank her for her legacy. She was “our nation through her voice”, that still inspires us and is an example of a genius simplicity to new generations of poets, composers, musicians and interpreters. […] Unmistakable and like no other in the communication, she overwhelmed us with her genius, brilliance, astuteness and spirit. The spirit of someone that carried Portugal and the Portuguese language always further by valuing them, and contributing to the recognition of fado as a worldwide Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.

This philatelic issue is composed by two stamps, one worth 0.53€ and the other 0.86€. They both had a 100 000 units issue; the block of postage stamps is worth 2.00€, and limited to 35 000 units. The stamps’ design is from AF Atelier.

The first-day stamp cancellations will take place at the Restauradores Post Office in Lisbon, Município II in Oporto, Zarco Post Office in Funchal and Antero de Quental Post Office in Ponta Delgada. The issue’s 1^st day sheet is a numbered issue and limited to 10 000 units.