Júlio Proença

Son of Amélia da Conceição Proença, Júlio Proença was born in the Mouraria neighbourhood on the 25 October 1901, and fell the fado appeal at a young age, learning to sing with his mother.

Nephew of the singer António Lado, he started singing fado as an amateur at 16 years old (1917) and he performed at countless charity parties, and bullfights until becoming a professionalat the operetta "Mouraria" in 1929 at Coliseu dos Recreios.

Júlio Proença always worked as an upholsterer-decorator at one of Lisbon’s most important houses.

During his artistic activity, Júlio Proença performed at “Salão Artístico de Fados” and the houses “Charquinho”, “Ferro de Engomar”, “Caliça” and “Pedralvas”, among others.

In the 1920s, he joined the first artistic tour of fado artists, travelling across the country with his colleagues Maria do Carmo, Joaquim Campos, Alberto Costa, Raul Ceia, the Portuguese guitar players Armando Freire "Armandinho", Herculano Rodrigues and the Spanish guitar player Abel Negrão.

He also performed at the following theatres: “Apolo”, “Trindade”, “Avenida”, “Maria Vitória”, “Joaquim de Almeida”, “Éden-Teatro”, “São Luís”, “Variedades” and “Capitólio”, and at the clubs “Ritz”, “Monumental”, “Olímpia” and “Maxim's”, showing his enormous talent in countless shows.

He later sang at “Retiro da Severa”, “Solar da Alegria” (which he ran along with Deonilde Gouveia in 1931) and the cafés “Gimnásio”, “Mondego” and “Luso”.

Júlio Proença was one of the first singers to perform at the radio broadcasters C.T.1 A.A, Rádio Luso, Rádio Peninsular and Rádio Condes.

We highlight the recordings: “Mentindo Sempre”, “Olhos Fatais”, “Como Nasceu o Fado”, “Mentindo”, “Três Beijos”, “Meu Sentir”, “Meu Sonho”, “Minha Terra” (music composed by himself), as well as the music from “Verbena”, “Lélé”, “Arlete”, “Fado Proença”, “Modesto” and “Fado Moral”. We also highlight the recording of the records “Dueto sobre o Fado” and “Romance”, sang in duet with Joaquim Campos.

He entered a fado audition at Forte de Monsanto, on November 1934, «the first party of the great series this newspaper is committed to organize at prisons and hospitals», together with Maria Carmen, Rosa Maria, Joaquim Campos, Joaquim Seabra, Júlio Correia and António Sobral (cf. Guitarra de Portugal, 14 November 1934).

"Júlio Proença (along with Ercília Costa and Márcia Condessa) was part of the show "Mãe de Portugal", held at Coliseu do Porto, and sponsored by Madame Carmona." (cf. Canção do Sul, 16 September 1944)

He left to Mozambique in 1946, where he lived and died in September 1970.

On the 21 May 1946, when he left to Africa, he was honoured at a party at Sala Júlia Mendes, in Parque Mayer.

Source:

“Guitarra de Portugal” 14 November 1937;

“Canção do Sul” 16 September 1944;

“Guitarra de Portugal”, 15 August 1946;

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