"LUTTINI LOKAN BHORON ANI GHOSKOSEANI DUKHAM VANVON",that was the scene for the funeral of Antonette de Calangute on Sunday the 9th inst., in the afternoon at Colva Church and Cemetry where she was interred. Antonette hailing from Calangute, as a young school going girl with pretty looks first started acting in the local Tiatros in her village and in surrounding areas as well with much enthusiasm. After creating a dent into the top ladder of the Tiatro where she made a mark for her as a Tiatrist, she met her life partner Bonny Pereira with whom she finally got married. Bonny was my good friend in Kuwait where he was doing a decent job and time permitting was also acting in Dramas. It was Epa de Utorda who first brought him on to the Konkani Stage in his Non-Stop Show at Kuwait Church Hall where Bonny played a lead role and captured the hearts of the audience with his wonderful talent display. He was then a handsome young boy just as Antonette was beautiful young girl.
As a family to family relationship, her family and our family were very close and she was always treated like a baby by our people especially by my mother and my elder brother. She was a good friend of my younger sister and a colleague to her during her schooling.
Though because of my being abroad I had less opportunities to watch her more in action on the stage yet what I saw her was enough for me to assess her performance and talent. In the history of Tiatro, Andrew was the most talented actor doing female role of tragedy. While doig such roles he was not only making the audience cry but himself also was crying. He was a member of legendary Minguel Rod troupe. Miss Julie another male actor doing female role was also known to perform the role of tragedy. Ophelia Cabral a member of C. Alvares was very good in doing tragedy roles and many of the Tiators of C. Alvares became hit because of her super excellence in performing such roles. Veteran artiste Jessy Dias also remain tall in performing tragedy roles and watching her from close angle doing such roles I can rightly say she is one of the best artistes deserving the title of Ttragedy Queen.
Antonette de Calangute is also known to perform the roles of tragedy where she excelled extremely well. Though she was good in such roles yet she was equally well in other roles as well especially of rich woman with her majestic personality and rich dress code.
In Kuwait she performed many times and at least on 4 occasions she stayed at my place where I noticed the real beauty of her kind heart and greatness in her discipline. At my place many female artistes stayed during their Shows organised by us and Antonette always treated me like her eldelr brother. She was very soft spoken woman and always submissive, never retaliating for any harm done to her and never demanding. Her nature was totally different from many other female artistes. She had calm and cool temparement and her mannerism was excellent.
In her death we lost a very good tiatrist and I lost a good friend.
May her soul rest in peace and may the heavenly God give courage to her husband and sons to bear this big loss.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Goa.