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Goa's rich musical heritage is renowned globally, its influential sounds reverberate across borders. However, within this rich tapestry, some music genres have often found themselves overshowed by other widely-recognised forms.
While the Mando, Fugdi and Dekhni often come to mind, a genre like the kantaram — Konkani songs composed by tiatrists and performed in tiatrs —rarely receives the recognition it deserves.
Despite having captured the essence of Goa, and later having even transcended the stage to reach people’s homes through records, radio broadcasts and now social media, kantaram have been relatively overlooked.
To promote this Goan gem, the ground-breaking event ‘Kantaranchi Sanz’, will take place on August 24, 2024 at the Thomas Stephen Konkani Kendr (TSKK) in Porvorim.
Organised by TSKK in collaboration with Nalini Elvino de Sousa, Leaxan Freitas and Cecille Rodrigues, the event will bring together music, dance and history in a way that has never been done before.
The event aims to shine the spotlight on tiatrists — the unsung heroes behind the kantaram melodies — whose contributions in iconic Goan films like Amche Noxib and Nirmonn, and masterpieces like Molbailo Dou, have deeply resonated with the Goan audience.
The event aims to shine the spotlight on tiatrists — the unsung heroes behind the kantaram melodies.
The evening will kick off with the screening of Kantar Goa, a documentary which explores the rich history and cultural significance of kantaram in Goa, providing an insightful look at how the genre has evolved over time, and its relevance in the present times.
“The documentary delves into Goan performative genre, tiatr, specifically on the kantaram that used to be sung between the scenes of the play. It traces the journey of these songs from the early 20th century to the present day,” says Nalini Elvino de Sousa, the maker of Kantar Goa, which highlights the works of kantaram legends C Alvares, Remmie Colaco and Jacinto Vaz.
“For the first time, we have a documentary dedicated solely to the kantaram, making its screening a truly special occasion,” shares Nalini, whose documentary was made possible by the Maria Crescencia Menezes Memorial Educational Trust and the VM Salgaocar fellowship grants.
Taking audiences on a nostalgic experience with music played from a turntable, a listening session curated by Leaxan Freitas will offer a rare opportunity to experience kantaram.
A vinyl record selector and collector, Leaxan will pay homage to the tiatrists featured in Nalini's documentary.
“I will spin vinyl records and speak about the people and stories behind the music,” shared Leaxan whose impressive collection of vinyl records includes that of Alfred Rose, Chris Perry, Antonette, Lorna and other Goan legends.
Attendees will not merely be listening to these soulful kantaram that have shaped Goan musical tradition, but will also be part of an interactive and joyful dance session led by Cecille Rodrigues, the founder of Goa's Encore Academy of Performing Arts.
“I’ll be doing a fun and easy dance choreography on a Konkani song and will be teaching the audience the steps. We will all dance at the end of it,” says Cecille, emphasising that there’s no better way to celebrate World Goa Day than with Konkani music and dance.
So, come and join this event as it brings the beauty of kantaram to life in a truly special way.
DETAILS
WHAT: 'Kantaranchi Sanz'
WHERE: Thomas Stephen Konkani Kendr (TSKK), Porvorim
WHEN: Saturday, August 24, 2024
TIMINGS: 4.30 pm to 7 pm
REGISTRATION: There is no entry fee, and registration can be done at the venue entrance