TAG Completes One Year of ‘Somplolea Tiatristancho Ugddas’

Somplolea Tiatristancho Ugddas a monthly programme organized by Tiatr Academy Goa (TAG) to remember the works and sacrifices of the late tiatr artistes completed one year in this month and was held on 20^th June 2012 at TAG’s Conference Hall, Campal Trade Centre, Campal, Panjim. The main speakers were Shri. Tomazinho Cardozo, former President of TAG and Tiatrist Anil Kumar. According to the scheme the artistes who are born in that particular month and are no more living are remembered. This scheme was started in the month of July 2010 and the programmes are held alternatively in Margao and Panjim each month. The importance of this scheme is the programme is video recorded and kept as documentation at TAG’s library. Till date around 80 late tiatr artistes whose details were available have been covered under the scheme. TAG is in the process of obtaining details of those artistes who have not been included.

Tomazinho Cardozo

While speaking on the late artistes Tomazinho Cardozo highlighted the works of late A. R. Souza Ferrao, Reginaldo Fernandes, Ulhas Buyao and Anthony Gonsalves. He said that Souza Ferrao was a very disciplined artiste and used to always be seen well dressed on the stage as well as in his daily life. He was a great lover of folk-art and a talented writer, actor, lyricist and composer. He was the first one to record folk-songs on All India Radio in 1937. Besides acting in tiatrs, Souza Ferrao has also acted in Konkani films like ‘Amchem Noxib’, ‘Nirmonn’, ‘Sukhachem Sopon’, etc. Speaking on Reginaldo Fernandes he said that Reginaldo was a multifaceted artiste who not only contributed to the tiatr stage but was an exemplary writer of Konkani in Romi script and a very talented musician. He used to play violin and trumpet. He has to his credit about 150 novels in Konkani in Roman script and was known as ‘Romanxincho Patxay’ during his times. He further said that Ulhas Buyao was a revolutionary artiste who created a revolution among the masses on the Konkani stage during Opinion Poll on the Romi script movement. His compositions ‘Goychea Mhojea Goykaramno’, ‘Mungllurachea Xharant’ and ‘Channeache Rati’ sung by Ulhas Bab are still remembered by the Goans. Recipient of Goa State Cultural Award Ulhas was a creative writer, director, singer, composer and is remembered for his contribution towards Goa’s song and literature in Konkani in Roman script and for this he was known as ‘Goy Shahir’. Maestro Anthony Gonsalves was a composer of high repute who was well-known not only in Goa but also throughout India and the world over.  In the early stage Anthony has composed music to Konkani songs like ‘Aayee’ and ‘Far-y-iaer’.  Tomazinho narrated one incident which took place during the felicitation of Anthony Gonsalves at the 2011 IFFI that Bollywood’s famous composer Pyarelal while speaking on the occasion referred Mr. Gonsalves as his guru which signifies how great a musician was Anthony Gonsalves. As a tribute Pyarelal had dedicated ‘My Name is Anthony Gonsalves’ to his violin teacher Maestro Anthony Gonsalves. To conclude Mr. Cardozo said that it was a tragedy that no Goan took note to find out about this great personality who was very much living in Goa after he took his retirement.

Anil Kumar

Speaking on the remaining five personalities Anil Kumar narrated the works and contribution to the tiatr stage. He said that Tony Fernandes, son of Pai Tiatrist Joao Agostinho Fernandes was well-known for his hit songs like ‘Gupit Mog’, ‘Goycheo Zati’, ‘Dotiche Pottle’, ‘Voklamni Fottoilo’, etc which he recorded on HMV records and are still played on the All India Radio. He was an excellent actor and a singer and has greatly contributed towards enrichment of Konkani song. He was one of the longest surviving tiatr artistes who died at the age 89. A tailor by profession Jephsis Hitler was a born artiste having natural comedy features with long mustaches and big eyes with which he used to create laughter in the audience. Minguel Rod one of the stalwarts took him to Mumbai in his tiatr ‘Intruz vo Carnaval’. He was the main composer of comedy solos, duets, trios, quartets, etc and was the most sought after artiste of his times. C. P. Dias another Goan musician who was well-known among the tiatr fraternity took to music at a very young age. He has provided music to the Tiatrs of almost all the stalwarts of tiatr stage. Besides tiatr he has also contributed to Hindi film music when he was in Mumbai for sometime. Romeo Mendes was a very good lyricist and has produced many Konkani audio cassettes. He owned a garage at Worli in Mumbai due to which he befriended many bollywood producers G.P.Sippy and stars like Amitab Bachan, Dharmindra, Hema Malini, etc. In his audio album ‘Jivit Ek Sopon’ he recorded voices of these bollywood stars in Konkani and had a record sale of about 10000 copies of this album. ‘Claudia’ a classic rendition from Konkani film ‘Nirmon’ which he sung along with his wife Antonette Mendes and Ophelia is still close to the heart of Konkani music lovers. A. K. D’Souza father of tiatr artistes Antonette Mendes and Fatima D’Souza was a thorough gentleman. He had an outstanding personality and was always well-dressed. He was a seaman and with the help of other seamen of P&O Company has the honour of performing his tiatr ‘Hanv to Tarvotti’ in the year 1957 at South Hamptom which features Miss Mohana, the most famed tiatr and bollywood artiste.

Succur & Willy

Succor, Tomazinho, Anil & Fr Manuel
singing late. Reginaldo's Adeus

The programme also featured  songs of these late artistes like ‘Claudia’, ‘Deva Mhojea Deva’, ‘Channeache Rati’, ‘Sorg Tujea Dolleamni’, ‘Adeus’ which were sung by Socorro de Santa Cruz and accompanied by Willy Goes on the rhythm guitar. Cezar D’melo of Mil-Mel-Nel, Dr. Rafael Fernandes, Fatima D’Souza and Fr. Manuel Gomes, also spoke on the occasion. Other prominent personalities present were Jessie Dias, Irene Cardozo, Fr. Conceicao D’Silva, Cartoonist Alexyz, Alister Miranda, writer Joel, Sheik Amir, Dr. Jerry Rodrigues, Tina Costa, Cameronbesides others. Mandovi daughter of late Ulhas Buyao joined in to sing ‘Channeache Rati.

Wife & Daughter of Late Ulas Buyao

Son of late Reginaldo Fernandes

Family members of these late artistes who attended the function were Neela and Mandovi (wife & daughger of late Ulhas Buyao), Wilma & Ivor (daughter & Son-in-law of Souza Ferrao), Sucorina, Sharon & Lucy (daughters of C.P. Dias), Sally (Son of Reginaldo Fernandes), Fatima (daughter of A.K. D’Souza), Sharmila (daughter of Tony Fernandes) and Laximi (daughter of Anthony Gonsalves).

Earlier Shri. Victor de Sa, Member Secretary of TAG welcomed the audience. Shri. Joy Fernandes, Cultural Organizer of TAG proposed a vote of thanks and compered the function. An appeal was made to the audience to inform TAG if they are aware of birth dates of any of the late tiatr artistes or the contacts of their family members who have not yet been covered under this scheme so that they can be included in the near future.

A section of the Audience