When The Goan visited Santan Lobo at his home in Desterro, Vasco da Gama, he was relaxing in his easy chair, recounting stories of his heydays and the glory years that life bestowed upon him
Sifting through some old black and white photographs of hisyounger days, Lobo exclaims, “Many of my old pictures are with my son forscanning,” he says, handing over the photo album which contains some oldpictures as well as write-ups which appeared in the press.
Having learnt music with solfeggio for three years at ayoung age in the parochial music school he immediately joined his brotherBaptist’s band and began playing the Saxophone for local tiatrs and otheroccasions. “Gradually I tried my hand at composing songs and singing too. Imade my debut in my brother’s tiatr at the young age of 15 years, as a singer(his memory failed him as he attempted to recall the name of the tiatr). LaterI began acting comedy roles,” recalls Santan Lobo taking a few pauses inbetween. He went by the stage name of S Lobo on the tiatr stage.
Santan Lobo had the good fortune of having the late NelsonAfonso as his neighbour and friend. They teamed up to sing duets and duos intiatrs. Santan Lobo would play the part of a female singer. The pair became sofamous that they instantly began getting offers to perform at other shows ofprofessional artists all over Goa. Together with Alexinho and Nelson Afonso,Santan was also a part of the trio.
He has performed with several senior artists of the Konkanistage. Among the many tiatrs, he has acted for late Jacinto Vaz in ‘Kunhead aniMana’ and ‘Bottler Saib’, in late Conception’s ‘Bhirmot’ and several othertiatrs of other professional artists including Nelson Afonso. He staged his owntiatrs ‘Piso Punn Podvedar’, ‘Mathilda’ and others. He has also provided themusic for tiatrs staged by Nelson Afonso, Conception, Dioginho de Mello,Jacinto Vaz, Kamat de Assolna and several others.
During his Konkani stage career spanning two decades, from1948 to 1968, he has performed for more than 20 different tiatrs. Employed withthe Western India Portuguese Railways (now MPT) then managed by Britishofficers, Santan had to reluctantly say goodbye to tiatrs even declining offersto perform in Mumbai because he found it extremely difficult to report to dutyon time in the morning, after performing in late night tiatrs. He had to choosebetween passion and his bread and butter. He chose the latter.
