Mário Moniz Pereira

Mário Alberto Freire Moniz Pereira was born on February 11, 1921, in Lisbon.

His academic career, carried out in the city where he was born, culminated with a Degree in Physical Education at the National Institute of Physical Education, where he taught for 27 years. Later, he would become the first Doctor Honoris Causa in Sports, a title awarded by the Faculty of Human Motricity at the University of Lisbon.

He distinguished himself as one of the greatest figures in national sport, namely for his contribution to Portuguese athletics. In addition to the numerous titles he won as an athlete and which he helped to win as a coach and manager, Moniz Pereira's unique path was unanimously recognized and respected. The awards stand out as Commander, and later as Grand Officer of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique (1980 and 1991, respectively), the attribution of the Municipal Medal of Merit, Grau Ouro, from the Lisbon City Council (1985), to distinction with the Gold Emblem of the European Athletics Association (2001), among others.

A confessed lover of fado and a staunch defender of the Portuguese language, Mário Moniz Pereira has enriched the Portuguese songbook in an invaluable way. Notable composer and lyricist, he was the author of over 130 themes, recorded by great artists of Portuguese music, over several generations. "Lá Vai a Rosa Maria", "Fado Varina" or "Valeu a Pena" are some of the themes that have become reference works in the poetic and musical heritage of fado.

The first to give voice to a Moniz Pereira theme was Carlos Ramos, in his old fado house "A Toca", and the first fado singer to record a fado by this composer was Lucília do Carmo. In her LP "Recordações" (1972), there are four fados signed by Moniz Pereira - "Leio Em Teus Olhos", "Contentamento", "Pequenas Felicidades" and "Não Me Conformo". Throughout her career, the fado singer would record more than ten songs by Moniz Pereira. Since then, many artists have wanted to include, in their repertoires, lyrics or songs by the composer: Deolinda Rodrigues, Celeste Rodrigues, Tony de Matos, Ada de Castro, Carlos do Carmo, Rodrigo, Maria da Fé, Maria Armanda, João Braga , Camané, Pedro Moutinho, Joana Amendoeira, among many others ...

Moniz Pereira passed away on July 31, 2016, at the age of 95.

Source:

Sporting Clube de Portugal announcement;

Mário Moniz Pereira The Story of a Life, 2010;