Alfred Rose in Toronto  


Age may have mellowed his muscles, sagged his skin somewhat, but not vitiated his voice whose resonance and phrasing still remain a delight to the ear.  

Yes, the famed tiatrist from Goa, Alfred Rose who has regaled fans of the Konkani teatro for nearly two generations now was in Toronto this week.  He and his wife Rita, also a singer and performer, gave two concerts to appreciative audiences of 300 each on
Sunday, July 18.

Alfred shot up on the tiatro scene in the fifties. With his melodious voice and dramatic phrasing, the young Alfred in bowtie and Mexican-style straw hat captured the hearts of Konkani tiatr lovers.  He composed songs that celebrated the ordinary Goan and
his lifestyle--kalchi koddi and the tailor--and sang them with panache and love that was at once engaging and enduring.  

Now in his seventies, Alfred, wearing a toupee, was at his vivacious best. Still slim as ever, he moved like one born to the stage, with elan and aplomb, and enunciated his Bardez Konkani with passion and verve.

Even those in the audience with little acquaintenance  with Konkani--the second generation of Canadian Goans--seemed to understand him and lustily cheered his comedy sketches interspersed through the solos and duets.

He started with a rousing rendition of his Kampala piece and held the audience in thrall with his Mandovi rendering, and a recent new composition saluting the late Princess Diana and Mother Teresa.

His much-younger wife Rita, whom I had not heard before, sang like a professional that she is, and complimented her husband well.  They were ably supported by a local cast of ten singer-performers in funny skits and satirical songs.

Alfred said that he had performed all over the world--India, the Middle East, Africa, Europe--and it was a genuine miracle that he was in Canada.

He had been very sick in January, had lost a lot of blood, but God the creator had saved him for Canada, he said.  Indeed, his deep faith and abiding love of Konkani permeated through much of his singing and performance in Toronto.

He and his wife have three children--the eldest son Schubert is in Arizona, U.S.  They were invited to perform by the D'Costa Financial Group, whose president Francis D'Costa said he feels fortunate to live in a country that gives its citizens a chance to promote their Goan and Konkani culture.

Ben Antao / Toronto
July 20, 1999