20 Sep 2020  |   03:49am IST

FROM THE CHOIR TO TIATR, IT’S BEEN ALL ABOUT MUSIC

Alias Fernandes has continued the lineage of his family in the world of tiatr by marking his presence with excellent singing and acting

Team Café

He is a one man band involved in choirs and has also gained a big share on the tiatr stage.

Hailing from Opa, Khandepar, noted for the Opa water works, Ponda-based Alias Carlos Fernandes, popularly known as Alias on the Konkani stage, was born on September 19, 1974. His dad’s cousin, F X Dias was a regular singer on the All India Radio (AIR), while his uncle, late Francis Fernandes would act in the village tiatrs and pen songs.

Initially, Alias had no inclination towards tiatr or anything related to the tiatr stage. Listening to musical plays aired on the radio and watching video CDs from childhood eventually generated an interest. One of his uncles from Bahrain would carry those CDs to Goa and he would watch them.

 

During his primary education in MIBK High School, Khandepar, Alias had opportunities to render a Konkani song for assembly, but due to stage fright, he stayed away from school on that particular day. After matriculation, he pursued his education in ITI at Khandepar, wherein he had opportunity to sing for the singing competition. “As it was a comedy song of H Briton,” he said, “off stage my colleagues forced me to render it twice all over again. The same song was later rendered with music for an annual event, I TECH in the college.”

 

Since 1993, Alias has been actively involved in chapel choir at Holy Cross Chapel, Opa. In 1998, he joined the church choir at St Anne’s Church, Ponda under the leadership of Custodio Dias and continued for almost 10 years. His tutor would train in tenor/bass voices and he was inspired to learn the keyboard from late Mathew Fernandes from Ponda for 4 years.

“My brother, Olavo assisted me later in music,” Alias revealed, and now, apart from assistance at the chapel, he now visits 5 different chapels in Ponda and the Mardol church to train the choir members.

When the Opa Youth Club celebrated its 10 years of existence, Alias penned a one-act play ‘Uzo’ and staged it for the occasion. “It’s here the audience realized my potential on stage as an actor,” he confesses.

In 1994, when Latur in Maharashtra experience an earthquake, Alias was inspired to pen a song and soon thereafter two more songs flowed from his pen. These songs were later rendered on Goa Doordarshan in June.

In the month of August for Ganesh Chaturthi, Alias found a place for himself in Carlos and Caetan Fernandes’ tiatr ‘Zhott’tti’ staged at Khandepar. Later, as a singer and actor, he continued in five more productions of the same directors staged in the Ponda taluka, including productions of Martin de Ponda and Peter de Ponda.

In 1998, Tony Fernandes from Divar, who was part of Carlos and Caetan Fernandes troupe, introduced Alias in Alfi de Divar’s troupe for the annual Kala Academy (KA)’s tiatr competition. Participation as a singer in tiatr ‘Pakham’ helped him to win the merit certificate for the first time.

Alias worked with the same director at the tiatr competition for another 9 productions, winning two first prizes for duos and merit certificates for singing. He also participated in Anil/Olga’s tiatr ‘Mojea vo Sojea’ at KA’s tiatr competition, winning first prize in the solo singing category.

Apart from participating in the KA’s tiatr competition, Alias also participated in the same institution’s annual singing competition, thus winning first prize in the solo, duo and trio categories. In 2000, comedian Caetan introduced him to Dominic Carvalho in tiatr ‘Tem Ek Sopon’, thus making his first entry on the commercial stage.

Since then, entries continued for Alias in tiatrs by Peter de Macazana, Comedian 64, late Jackie Gomes, Seby de Britona, late Agostinho Vaz, late comedian Marcus, Wilson (Ponda) and John (Usgao), Derick Cardozo, Philip de Moira, Freddy Mascarenhas, Peter Rodrigues, Agnel de Borim, Peter Colaco, Succor and Joaquim Cruz.

To mark 50 years of Goa’s Liberation, Alias was invited to participate in a show directed by William Fernandes and supported by the Tiatr Academy Goa. In 2012, he made his appearance again in late Remmie Colaco’s tiatr ‘Atancho Temp’ reproduced and re-staged by the same director.

In 2008, Alias joined comedian Dominic’s troupe in tiatr ‘Rupem Bhangar Maginai’ and visisted the Gulf with the show. Although he made an entry as a comedian with comedian Dominic and Luis Bachan in the first three productions, he continues as a singer and actor with the same director till date.

In 2009, during the monsoon season, Alias joined Mariano Fernandes’ troupe in tiatr ‘Sorg, Sonvsar, Ifern.’ He also featured in the same director’s tiatr ‘Soglleank Nomoskar’, making the Gulf tour for the second time and in tiatr ‘Hanv Khuxal Asam’, he succeeded in making the UK tour with the troupe.

Alias also has his contribution in religious presentations with entry in Fr Robin Rodrigues’ ‘Goenchem Noketr Padr Jose Vaz’, followed by Fr Nevel Gracias’ Lenten shows, beginning with ‘Tim Sogllim Ek Zaum’ and he continues with the latter director till date.

In 2012 Alias released his first audio CD ‘Vollkhunk Visorle’. He has also made his presence felt in musical shows by comedian Dominic, William Fernandes, Bab Andrew, Francis de Tuem, Saby de Divar and Anil/Olga.

“During the monsoon season, people would look forward to tiatrs by Mariano Fernandes,” reveals Alias, and he has assisted the director by penning the opening song in three tiatrs. In tiatr ‘Hanv Khuxal Asam’ all the artistes were paraded on stage with the help of the opening song penned by him.

For what he is on the tiatr stage today, Alias gives all the credit to his mother, Conceicao Fernandes for ample support and his wife Ciena Fernandes.