Júlio Duarte

Brother of Alfredo Duarte (Marceneiro), Júlio Duarte was born in Lisbon on the parish of Santa Isabel. He worked as a shoe manufacturer.

Júlio Duarte began singing at 14 years old, as an amateur at the Centro Republicano Miguel Bombarda. He sang in several "veladas sociais", popular associations, charity events and all the fado houses of that time.

He debuted as a professional in 1928, and in recognition to his already notable artistic pathway, he performed at the Cervejarias “Jansen”, “Boémia”, “Rosa Branca”, “Chagas” and “Vitória”, at the Cafés “Portugal”, “Sul América”, “Anjos” and “Júlio das Farturas”. Júlio Duarte also sang at Salão Artístico de Fados.

He also performed at the theatres “Capitólio” and “Joaquim de Almeida”, the clubs “Tauromáquico”, “Olímpia”, “Montanha”, “Patos” and “Alhambra” and at the movie theatres “Europa”, “Jardim Cinema”, “Cine-Paris” and “Royal”.

Special reference should be made to the fact that besides performing at his birth town, Júlio Duarte had the chance to go through Lisbon’s surroundings, singing at the theatres of Barreiro, Seixal, Montijo, Setúbal (a whole season), Torres Vedras, Malveira, Quinta do Anjo, Torres Novas, Caldas da Rainha, Mafra, Cadaval, Figueira da Foz, Abrigada, Cascais, Estoril, Moita, Parede, Paço de Arcos, Alenquer, Feiteira, Merceana and Benavente.

He also sang at the private homes of Count of Torre, Count of Sabrosa, and at the estate of the farmer Palha Blanco.

He later sang at “Retiro da Severa”, “Solar da Alegria”; and at the cafés “Gimnásio”, “Luso” and “Mondego”.

We also highlight his performances at the radio stations Luso, Graça, Peninsular and Emissora Nacional.

Júlio Duarte composed many fado songs, such as: “Combatentes”, “Crença”, “Fado da Paz”, “Fado da Aldeia”, “Fado Marcha”, “Lágrimas”, and “Fado Luso”.

Source:

Machado, A. Victor (1937) “Ídolos do Fado”, Lisboa, Tipografia Gonçalves