Nelson Afonso
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Nelson João Sulpicio Afonso (20 April 1934 – 18 June 1982) was an Indian singer, composer, playwright, and
theatre director A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production such as a play, opera, dance, drama, musical theatre performance, etc. by unifying various endeavors a ...
who worked on the Konkani stage.


Early life

Nelson João Sulpicio Afonso was born on 20 April 1934, in
Vasco da Gama, Goa Vasco da Gama (), often shortened to Vasco, is a city in the state of Goa on the west coast of India. It is named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. It is sometimes also referred to as Sambhaji Nagar after Sambhaji. It is the headq ...
, which was a part of
Portuguese India The State of India, also known as the Portuguese State of India or Portuguese India, was a state of the Portuguese Empire founded seven years after the discovery of the sea route to the Indian subcontinent by Vasco da Gama, a subject of the ...
during the era of the
Portuguese Empire The Portuguese Empire was a colonial empire that existed between 1415 and 1999. In conjunction with the Spanish Empire, it ushered in the European Age of Discovery. It achieved a global scale, controlling vast portions of the Americas, Africa ...
(now in India). He was born into a
Goan Catholic Goan Catholics () are an ethno-religious community adhering to the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church from the Goa state, in the southern part of the Konkan region along the west coast of India. They are Konkani people and speak the Konkani l ...
family, with his father, Manoel Adolfo Alfonso, originating from
Aldona Aldona (or Aldonã) is a village that lies in the Bardez taluka of the Indian coastal state of Goa. It is known for producing several prominent Goans personalities. Geography Aldona is located at at an average elevation of . Aldona, as a c ...
, and his mother, Evelina Idinha Cardoso e Afonso, being a
homemaker Homemaking is mainly an American English, American and Canadian English, Canadian term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping, housewifery or household management. It is the act of overseeing the organizational ...
. Afonso's mother possessed vocal abilities, which he inherited, and it became evident at a young age that he had a natural talent for singing. Encouraged by his neighbors, Afonso began showcasing his vocal prowess in village concerts and '' tiatrs'', a popular form of
Konkani __NOTOC__ Konkani may refer to: Language * Konkani language is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Konkan region of India. * Konkani alphabets, different scripts used to write the language **Konkani in the Roman script, one of the scripts used to ...
musical theater Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, moveme ...
. One of his neighbors, Baptista Lobo, provided him with the opportunity to perform in these events. Although originally from Aldona, Goa, Afonso eventually settled in Vasco da Gama, Goa.


Career

Afonso embarked on his professional journey in the Konkani theater at the age of 17, marking his debut on the stage. Known for his vocal prowess, he swiftly gained popularity within local villages. It was during this time that A. S. Conception, a ''
tiatrist ''Tiatr'' (; ) is a type of musical theatre that is popular in the state of Goa on the west coast of India, as well as in Mumbai and among the Goan expatriate communities in the Middle East, United Kingdom, and other cities with a significant pre ...
'' residing in Afonso's neighborhood, discerned his abilities while witnessing one of his performances in a village drama. Recognizing Afonso's potential, Conception took it upon himself to introduce the budding talent to the established ''tiatrists'' of that era. Conception's efforts culminated in Afonso securing a breakthrough opportunity on the commercial ''
tiatr ''Tiatr'' (; ) is a type of musical theatre that is popular in the state of Goa on the west coast of India, as well as in Mumbai and among the Goan expatriate communities in the Middle East, United Kingdom, and other cities with a significant pr ...
'' stage, which facilitated his acceptance and artistic growth. Conception also took a personal interest in nurturing Afonso's development. Afonso's talents soon captured the attention of senior ''tiatrists'', who promptly cast him in their productions. Initially, he primarily portrayed female characters, exhibiting an ability to convincingly embody their essence through his attire, actions, and comedic timing. Gradually, Afonso's passion for music composition began to emerge, leading him to create a
repertoire Repertory or repertoire () is the list or set of works a person or company is accustomed to performing. Whether the English or French spelling is used has no bearing, but it was the French word, with an accent on the first e, , that first took ho ...
of songs. His multifaceted abilities as an actor and singer left a mark on the ''tiatr'' stage. As his career blossomed, Afonso ventured into the realm of playwriting. Crafting his own ''tiatrs'', he showcased proficiency in constructing compelling narratives. Afonso's scripts were appreciated for their thematic depth and meaningful messages. Afonso emerged as a known figure in the world of ''tiatrs'', crafting a collection of theatrical works during his era. With a total of 27 ''tiatrs'' under his belt, Afonso covered a wide range of topics, including
social issue A social issue is a problem that affects many people within a society. It is a group of common problems in present-day society that many people strive to solve. It is often the consequence of factors extending beyond an individual's control. Soc ...
s and
politics Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...
. His political ''tiatr'' titled ''Nationalist'' propelled him to fame and resonated with the
Goan Goans ( Romi Konkani: , ) is the demonym used to describe the people native to Goa, India, formerly part of Portuguese India (''Estado Português da Índia''). They form an ethno-linguistic group resulting from the assimilation of Indo-Aryan, ...
audience. Among Afonso's popular ''tiatrs'' are ''Doctor Salazar'', ''Ghorabo'' (Family), ''Almas do Outro Mundo'' (Souls from the Other World), ''Jikle re Jikle'' (We won, We won), ''Goenkar Te Goenkar'' (Goans are Goans), ''Suttka Uprant'' (Post Freedom), ''Dolorosa'', and ''Doganch Puro'' (Two is enough). Afonso's contributions extended beyond writing, as he played a pivotal role in shaping the ''tiatr'' landscape. Afonso established the
troupe Troupe may refer to: General *Comedy troupe, a group of comedians *Dance troupe, a group of dancers **Fire troupe, a group of fire dancers *Troupe system, a method of playing role-playing games *Theatrical troupe, a group of theatrical performers ...
Stars of the Goa Stage, consisting primarily of young and aspiring ''tiatrists''. The troupe's name was eventually changed to Young Stars of Goa. Furthermore, during the staging of his ''tiatr Asro'', Afonso formed his own group, known as the Old and Gold Stars of Goa. This group comprised both seasoned and emerging ''tiatrists''. Afonso had a particular focus on composing songs. Initially, he composed
duet A duet (italian language, Italian: ''duo'') is a musical composition for two Performing arts, performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a har ...
s and performed alongside artists such as Anthony, Conception, and Champion Peter. Subsequently, Afonso formed a trio with Conception and Anthony, specializing in politically charged songs. These compositions gained popularity for their outspoken commentary on issues like
corruption Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. Corruption may involve activities ...
. While the songs exhibited a satirical and critical tone, they maintained a respectful approach, avoiding any defamatory content. The trio's success propelled them to continue performing together, placing Afonso in the forefront as the primary composer. As the demand for government criticism grew, Afonso's songwriting abilities were put to the test, as he met the audience's expectations by delivering thought-provoking compositions. Afonso's creative innovation extended to the realm of
stage design Scenic design, also known as stage design or set design, is the creation of scenery for theatrical productions including Play (theatre), plays and Musical theatre, musicals. The term can also be applied to film and television productions, wher ...
. In 1968, he made history by introducing the first single
revolving stage A revolving stage is a mechanically controlled platform within a theatre that can be rotated in order to speed up the changing of a scene within a show. Kabuki theatre development Background Kabuki theatre began in Japan around 1603 when O ...
in
Konkani __NOTOC__ Konkani may refer to: Language * Konkani language is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Konkan region of India. * Konkani alphabets, different scripts used to write the language **Konkani in the Roman script, one of the scripts used to ...
''
tiatr ''Tiatr'' (; ) is a type of musical theatre that is popular in the state of Goa on the west coast of India, as well as in Mumbai and among the Goan expatriate communities in the Middle East, United Kingdom, and other cities with a significant pr ...
'' with his popular production, ''Dolorosa''. This stage design, named the "ring and roll", featured a kitchen hall on one side and a road scene on the other. The stage's unique fabrication by Afonso allowed for seamless transitions between sets, eliminating the need for frequent set changes. By situating the two sets opposite each other, Afonso enabled a swift rotation of the stage, presenting the second set to the audience after the completion of the first. Over the course of his career, Afonso composed and performed over 100 songs. Songs like "Nak Chepta," "Knockout," and "Gaddo" gained popularity. Additionally, he participated in more than 500 ''tiatr'' performances, spanning across his own productions and collaborative endeavors. Afonso's talent led him to tour various regions, including
Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
,
Goa Goa (; ; ) is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the ...
, and
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.


Personal life

On 24 May 1958, Afonso married the
homemaker Homemaking is mainly an American English, American and Canadian English, Canadian term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping, housewifery or household management. It is the act of overseeing the organizational ...
Maria do Rosario Dias (later known as Maria Rosada Dias) at Mormugão Church. Their son, Tomas "Tommy" Afonso, known professionally as Jr. Nelson, is a singer on the Konkani stage. On 18 June 1982, Afonso died at MPT Hospital in
Vasco da Gama, Goa Vasco da Gama (), often shortened to Vasco, is a city in the state of Goa on the west coast of India. It is named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. It is sometimes also referred to as Sambhaji Nagar after Sambhaji. It is the headq ...
, at the age of 48.


Selected stage works


Select discography

*''Nak Chepta'' *''Knockout'' *''Gaddo''


Trios (with Conception & Anthony)

*''Separate State'' *''Apar'' *''Votam'' *''Brazil''


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Afonso, Nelson 1934 births 1982 deaths Goan people Tiatrists Musicians from South Goa district Konkani-language singers