Luizinha Fernandes.
The world of Konkani Tiatr has lost one of its most beloved stars, Luisinha Tomacinha J. Fernandes, fondly known as Luiza, who passed away on Tuesday. She was 65.
Born on July 3, 1960, in the village of Curchorem, Luiza was the daughter of Sebastiao and Cristalina Fernandes. She was the wife of senior tiatrist William Fernandes, with whom she shared not only a life partnership but also a deep and enduring artistic journey in the world of Tiatr.
Luiza began her stage career in 1975 with the Tiatr "Jivem Moronn", written and directed by her husband. This marked the beginning of a remarkable journey in Konkani theatre that would span several decades.
In 1984, she was cast in the acclaimed Tiatr "Darvonto", written and directed by Anthony San. Her artistic reach extended beyond the stage to film and television. She featured in the Doordarshan tele-serial "Promannikponn", the short film "Don Utram" by Joe Rose, and the film "Painxim Rupiyanchi Note".
Over the years, Luiza collaborated with several iconic tiatr directors such as Remmie Colaco, M. Boyer, Rosario Rodrigues, Anil Kumar, John Claro, Anthony San, Jose Rod, Joe Rose, Wilmix-Sharon, and many others. Her versatility and authenticity earned her immense admiration, not only in Goa but also in Mumbai, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, and internationally in the Gulf countries and the UK.
She was awarded Best Actress for her performance in "Somp" and Second-Best Actress for "Zhall" at the Kala Academy Tiatr Competition.
In 1979, she lent her voice to Anthony San’s debut music cassette "Goa", and later celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1997, marking 25 years of artistic contribution.
In recognition of her lifelong dedication to Konkani theatre, Luiza was conferred the prestigious Tiatr Academy of Goa’s (TAG) Lifetime Contribution to Tiatr (Commercial) Award in 2021.
Her contributions were also acknowledged by several institutions, including the Tiatr Celebration Committee, Sankalp Theatres (Curchorem), Lions Club Dist. 217 (Curchorem), Curchorem Mahila Mandal, and Arya Durga Sangit Kala Kendra, who felicitated her for her outstanding work in promoting Konkani theatre and culture.
She is survived by her husband William Fernandes and their family, who have requested privacy during this time of mourning.
Speaking on her passing, Anthony Barbosa, President of the Tiatr Academy of Goa, said:
"Luiza was not only a talented artist but also a wonderful human being. Besides acting and singing, she was deeply attached to the Konkani language and Tiatr in general. Her passing is a huge loss to the Konkani cultural fraternity."
Arnald Da Costa, President of the Tiatrist and Non-Stop Tiatristanchi Sonstha, also expressed deep condolences and sorrow at her passing.
