 Her artistic career spanned over 30 years and hers is considered one of the most unusual and beautiful fado voices.Her status as a "fidalga" meant, in the context of a conservative early 20th century Portugal, that she faced severe restrictions in having a professional artistic career As such, she did not enjoy the projection of other great "fadistas" of her time.According to her surviving relatives, Maria Teresa de Noronha showed from her childhood a very beautiful voice, often singing in church choirs, though she did not take any voice lessons.