~An Interview with Maestro Shahu by Gasper Crasto
Kuwait – 12.12.2018: It was indeed a ground-breaking tour to Cayman Islands by Goa’s superstars Prince Jacob and John D’Silva, and firebrand political singer Francis de Tuem as well as Kuwait Goans’ flag-bearer - magical music Maestro Shahu Almeida.
The artistes flew across the Alantic Ocean to the majestic Islands of the Caribbeans to perform in Rafael de Macasana’s landmark drama ‘Anik Nam’ staged at St. Ignatius Loyola Hall, Grand Cayman Island – 2nd December 2018.
First time in the history of Caymans, the drama featured overseas artistes especially flown in for a show. Other artistes in the drama featured Cayman-based Goan actors.
Here’s a brief chit-chat with Maestro Shahu Almeida upon his return from the tour after almost a week.
Q: Congratulations on a successful tour Shahu bab, give us a brief rundown of the trip.
Shahu: It was a dream tour. I would like to thank everyone we met on our way – all our friends, and Goans -- for the warmth we received during our stay.
The day we set foot on Cayman Islands till we departed, many of our Goan friends were with us -- all throughout.
I would also like to thank our director Rafael de Macasana for making us a part of his show and giving us the opportunity of experiencing the beauty of Cayman Islands.
May Almighty God pour his choicest blessings on all our Goans working there.
Q: What is one thing that you didn’t expect when you were invited?
Shahu: Well, everyone going to distant places has to go through the ordeals of applying for visas, travelling, etc. Luckily, everything went off smooth.
In the past I have performed in UK, and all the Gulf countries; but seeking multiple visas required for Cayman Islands was a tedious job, although routine.
Q: Give a few details about your journey.
Shahu: It was a transit flight with a stopover at London. Fortunately, I have so many friends in UK; they turned my overnight transit into a gathering of sorts. I could meet a number of ‘ixtt’ and felt I was more in Goa than UK.
Babit de Zuari and his wife Esperanza hosted my stay, while friends who came ‘running’ to greet were Goa’s renowned Konkani stage artistes bab Salu de Loutolim, Mathew Araujo, Simon Gonsalves, Bab Agnel, Matias (Drummer), etc, and our ever helpful UK supremo bab Gregg Carvalho.
Q: What was the drama atmosphere in Cayman? The rehearsals and the show?
Shahu: Given the applause and praise for the drama, songs and performances, it was clear that Goans in Cayman Islands savor the art of Tiatr as much as any other passionate Goans elsewhere in the world, and as much as we savor our fish-curry-rice.
Rafael’s drama ‘Anik Nam’ is based on a patriotic sentiment towards our motherland (India). There are soldiers at the border who risk their lives to protect our country, and there are families whose love and sacrifice for our motherland is like ‘no other’ love.
While Prince Jacob and John D’Silva had the audience in splits with their witty jokes, Prince Jacob, the master that he is, had people in tears as well, with one of his serious acts.
Director Rafael de Macasana has acted in dramas right from a young age. He is my ‘ganv-bhav’ and I have grown up watching him. He has written and acted in a number of ‘khell-tiatrs’ and dramas during his years in Goa; he also plays the trumpet.
On professional stage, he has performed for renowned directors including Roseferns dramatic troupe and toured many places.
Rafael is a very good singer, his style and voice really has a ‘typical’ impact of great Goan tiatr singers. Watch his opening song in ‘Anik Nam’.
Q: What have you seen about the Goan talent there?
Shahu: I was amazed by the performance of all the local artistes. We must admire director Rafael for giving opportunity to a number of artistes to demonstrate their talent.
There were superb performances by Bab Andrew, Paulo, Macasana, young Shannan Coelho, Newman, Rosario, Osvy, Ashwin, Melisa, Herman, Claver, Master Herman, Domnic, Roque, Seby, Andrew, Priscila, Quintina, Jercina, Mario, Marvel, Clinton, Master Ethan, Master McAllister and director Rafael de Macasana.
Q: Apart from the show, you spent a week with the legends Prince Jacob, John D’Silva and superstar Francis de Tuem...
Shahu: The week flew by like anything. The natural beauty of Cayman islands leaves one mesmerized while our Goans there are engaged in a lot of activities and charity especially at church which was a great thing to note.
We got to celebrate St. Francis Xavier Feast which was quite a spectacle. There was a Konkani mass by Mangalorean priest Fr. Naveen D’Souza and Fr. Manuel Zuzarte from New York.
A lot of food was served at the church after mass by United Goan Community members and families.
We visited many beautiful spots and relish every moment.
There were other musicians alongside, I enjoyed playing with them. The reception, and respect shown by Cayman Goans all throughout the trip was so touching, we shall cherish the love for a long, long time.
It was a privilege to spend time with the legends. Prince Jacob and John bab -- I have known them well – respectable and gentlemen. They both have a desire to tell stories. And their love for our community and our ‘maim-bhas’ Konkani is incomparable.
Francis de Tuem has a kind of fearlessness that allows you to explore his leadership which every Goan should possess; I can see he is not ‘superficial’. Francis sang 4 songs, and all of them were great hits with the audience. He was ‘repeated’ for every song.
We are sure, the presence of our stars was an inspiration especially to young, budding Goans in Cayman.
Q: What, according to you, is Konkani drama’s greatest challenge today?
Shahu: Getting people interested in and involved is the biggest challenge nowadays. Tiatr is becoming a bit of a race in recent times.
High ticket prices are keeping the average audience away – especially in countries like Kuwait and UK.
Also, audiences do not seem to want to see a show if it doesn’t have well-known ‘superstars’ in it. Konkani drama needs to challenge that. We need writers, actors, directors, to return to engaging story telling like our olden times that will pull audience to the ‘hall’.
Q: If you could change just one thing about drama with the wave of a magic wand, what would it be?
Shahu: I would wave my magic wand and have Tiatr art subsidized by the government. I know many of our directors in Goa back out because of high fees charged by ‘halls’.
I would wish Tiatr to be more accessible to the general public especially the younger genre. We need to promote Tiatr and anything that is Konkani.
At the moment, I can see only ‘Voice of Goa’ singing competition promoting our art to some extent.
Q: What challenges will be addressed by Konkani music in the next five years?
Shahu: Coping with the Internet – YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp. Goa used to produce so many CDs and Video CDs, in the past. Nowadays none of the professionals want to burn their fingers and fall into a loss.
As great as the Internet is, it will be very difficult to stop material being freely circulated on the net. If current trends continue, there would be no quality singers recording CDs anymore.
Q: What advice would you give to a young musician who dreams of doing what you do, and go places like you?
Shahu: Train. Train. Train. Never stop seeking new ways to approach the work. And, above all, respect the art.
Kuwait – 12.12.2018: It was indeed a ground-breaking tour to Cayman Islands by Goa’s superstars Prince Jacob and John D’Silva, and firebrand political singer Francis de Tuem as well as Kuwait Goans’ flag-bearer - magical music Maestro Shahu Almeida.
The artistes flew across the Alantic Ocean to the majestic Islands of the Caribbeans to perform in Rafael de Macasana’s landmark drama ‘Anik Nam’ staged at St. Ignatius Loyola Hall, Grand Cayman Island – 2nd December 2018.
First time in the history of Caymans, the drama featured overseas artistes especially flown in for a show. Other artistes in the drama featured Cayman-based Goan actors.
Here’s a brief chit-chat with Maestro Shahu Almeida upon his return from the tour after almost a week.
Q: Congratulations on a successful tour Shahu bab, give us a brief rundown of the trip.
Shahu: It was a dream tour. I would like to thank everyone we met on our way – all our friends, and Goans -- for the warmth we received during our stay.
The day we set foot on Cayman Islands till we departed, many of our Goan friends were with us -- all throughout.
I would also like to thank our director Rafael de Macasana for making us a part of his show and giving us the opportunity of experiencing the beauty of Cayman Islands.
May Almighty God pour his choicest blessings on all our Goans working there.
Q: What is one thing that you didn’t expect when you were invited?
Shahu: Well, everyone going to distant places has to go through the ordeals of applying for visas, travelling, etc. Luckily, everything went off smooth.
In the past I have performed in UK, and all the Gulf countries; but seeking multiple visas required for Cayman Islands was a tedious job, although routine.
Q: Give a few details about your journey.
Shahu: It was a transit flight with a stopover at London. Fortunately, I have so many friends in UK; they turned my overnight transit into a gathering of sorts. I could meet a number of ‘ixtt’ and felt I was more in Goa than UK.
Babit de Zuari and his wife Esperanza hosted my stay, while friends who came ‘running’ to greet were Goa’s renowned Konkani stage artistes bab Salu de Loutolim, Mathew Araujo, Simon Gonsalves, Bab Agnel, Matias (Drummer), etc, and our ever helpful UK supremo bab Gregg Carvalho.
Q: What was the drama atmosphere in Cayman? The rehearsals and the show?
Shahu: Given the applause and praise for the drama, songs and performances, it was clear that Goans in Cayman Islands savor the art of Tiatr as much as any other passionate Goans elsewhere in the world, and as much as we savor our fish-curry-rice.
Rafael’s drama ‘Anik Nam’ is based on a patriotic sentiment towards our motherland (India). There are soldiers at the border who risk their lives to protect our country, and there are families whose love and sacrifice for our motherland is like ‘no other’ love.
While Prince Jacob and John D’Silva had the audience in splits with their witty jokes, Prince Jacob, the master that he is, had people in tears as well, with one of his serious acts.
Director Rafael de Macasana has acted in dramas right from a young age. He is my ‘ganv-bhav’ and I have grown up watching him. He has written and acted in a number of ‘khell-tiatrs’ and dramas during his years in Goa; he also plays the trumpet.
On professional stage, he has performed for renowned directors including Roseferns dramatic troupe and toured many places.
Rafael is a very good singer, his style and voice really has a ‘typical’ impact of great Goan tiatr singers. Watch his opening song in ‘Anik Nam’.
Q: What have you seen about the Goan talent there?
Shahu: I was amazed by the performance of all the local artistes. We must admire director Rafael for giving opportunity to a number of artistes to demonstrate their talent.
There were superb performances by Bab Andrew, Paulo, Macasana, young Shannan Coelho, Newman, Rosario, Osvy, Ashwin, Melisa, Herman, Claver, Master Herman, Domnic, Roque, Seby, Andrew, Priscila, Quintina, Jercina, Mario, Marvel, Clinton, Master Ethan, Master McAllister and director Rafael de Macasana.
Q: Apart from the show, you spent a week with the legends Prince Jacob, John D’Silva and superstar Francis de Tuem...
Shahu: The week flew by like anything. The natural beauty of Cayman islands leaves one mesmerized while our Goans there are engaged in a lot of activities and charity especially at church which was a great thing to note.
We got to celebrate St. Francis Xavier Feast which was quite a spectacle. There was a Konkani mass by Mangalorean priest Fr. Naveen D’Souza and Fr. Manuel Zuzarte from New York.
A lot of food was served at the church after mass by United Goan Community members and families.
We visited many beautiful spots and relish every moment.
There were other musicians alongside, I enjoyed playing with them. The reception, and respect shown by Cayman Goans all throughout the trip was so touching, we shall cherish the love for a long, long time.
It was a privilege to spend time with the legends. Prince Jacob and John bab -- I have known them well – respectable and gentlemen. They both have a desire to tell stories. And their love for our community and our ‘maim-bhas’ Konkani is incomparable.
Francis de Tuem has a kind of fearlessness that allows you to explore his leadership which every Goan should possess; I can see he is not ‘superficial’. Francis sang 4 songs, and all of them were great hits with the audience. He was ‘repeated’ for every song.
We are sure, the presence of our stars was an inspiration especially to young, budding Goans in Cayman.
Q: What, according to you, is Konkani drama’s greatest challenge today?
Shahu: Getting people interested in and involved is the biggest challenge nowadays. Tiatr is becoming a bit of a race in recent times.
High ticket prices are keeping the average audience away – especially in countries like Kuwait and UK.
Also, audiences do not seem to want to see a show if it doesn’t have well-known ‘superstars’ in it. Konkani drama needs to challenge that. We need writers, actors, directors, to return to engaging story telling like our olden times that will pull audience to the ‘hall’.
Q: If you could change just one thing about drama with the wave of a magic wand, what would it be?
Shahu: I would wave my magic wand and have Tiatr art subsidized by the government. I know many of our directors in Goa back out because of high fees charged by ‘halls’.
I would wish Tiatr to be more accessible to the general public especially the younger genre. We need to promote Tiatr and anything that is Konkani.
At the moment, I can see only ‘Voice of Goa’ singing competition promoting our art to some extent.
Q: What challenges will be addressed by Konkani music in the next five years?
Shahu: Coping with the Internet – YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp. Goa used to produce so many CDs and Video CDs, in the past. Nowadays none of the professionals want to burn their fingers and fall into a loss.
As great as the Internet is, it will be very difficult to stop material being freely circulated on the net. If current trends continue, there would be no quality singers recording CDs anymore.
Q: What advice would you give to a young musician who dreams of doing what you do, and go places like you?
Shahu: Train. Train. Train. Never stop seeking new ways to approach the work. And, above all, respect the art.