Dedicated to The Forever Blooming Roses – Alfred, Rita, Schubert, Englebert & Alria
The Roses as a rhythmic team have their inborn love and genuine talent for music. They really are ” Italians of the East” to whom popularity has come easily, but prosperity has not followed fast enough. – Eves Weekly, 13 June 1978.
The Roses don’t desire worldly material wealth as God has blessed them abundantly. But, it is mentioned here so that Konkani and music or theatrelovers support other artistes, who are passionate about their craft. The Forever Blooming Roses have enthralled millions over decades since the 1950s and will continue to do so for generations to come. All I can say in this tribute is – Thank You for the Music – Joseph Dias
Rita Rose’s loving card to darling hubby – Thank You for sharing the
music with me – Yours & Only Yours, RITA
Rita & Alfred Rose presented The CROSS International Award by Lata
Mangeshkar with Joseph Dias, CROSS founder in 1990
Rita Rose being felicitated by Shri Manohar Parrikar, then Chief
Minister of Goa. Tomazinho Cardozo is seen in the pic
Rita Rose is awarded by Shri Laxmikant Parsekar, then Chief Minister
of Goa. Vishnu Wagh, Chairman, Kala Academy is seen.
Rita Rose with Remo Fernandes
Rita Rose with UK MP, Keith Vaz
The First Lady of the Konkani Stage – Goa’s Melody Queen
The sheer size of her work over six decades putting Goa and Konkani on the world map, besides her vast uncomparable repertoire makes Rita Rose – a living Goan legend. On her celebrating 7 decades of life and music milestone, I felt that it was necessary to pay tribute to an artiste who had done much for Goa & the Konkani stage. Hers is a story that needs to be told as so far she has been contributing silently as a labour of love and happy not just to live in the shadows, but never tiring to spend her life promoting hubby Goa’s Melody King – Alfred Rose. And of course, content play a doting mother and grandmother to Schubert, Engelbert, Alria and their children.
Alfred Rose reigns forever as Goa’s Melody King in the hearts and minds of millions of his fans. I was blessed to spend hours with the family at their peak during the 1980-90s. I wondered in those days, why don’t we support or at least publically honour our prominent fellows, while they are at their peak? These thoughts prompted me to confer the first major – The CROSS International Award to Alfred Rose at the hands of the late, Lata Mangeshkar in 1990. The State Honour came later posthumously, with and other non-resident Goan legends like C Alvares and Prem Kumar also being recognized. It is to Government of Goa’s credit that it corrected what was a technical obstacle. The CROSS also organized a public felicitation of the Alfred Rose family and release of their Silver Jubilee Konkani cassette on 8th October 1990 at St. Anthony’s, Vakola – entry to which was free.
And as we await the Union and State Governments honour in the form of Padma Awards or naming of buildings, etc. after Alfred Rose to perpetuate his memory as a role model for generations. Here we present to you Rita Rose – who leaves behind an almost equal heritage as many legendary Goans of the 1960s. Her legacy is even more valuable considering the times Goan women were not so much as seen. She had to perform on stage and in studios, while assisting her husband and mothering her children. Her father was a multi-faceted personality – writer, director, lyricist, banker, composer, musician, comedian, etc. All his talents are inherited in Rita’s genes and add to this the honing of skills by hubby dearest and decades of experience with stars of the Konkani stage have given her the stupendous success that she is.
Truly, a multi-tasking woman of substance – THE ONLY WOMAN who can be credited with:
– Being since 1960s – Goa’s & Konkani’s Cultural Ambassador all over India and at least 20 countries
– Performing in countries across continents – North & South America, East & West Europe, Africa & Gulf
– Featured on Foreign Radio, Gramaphone Records, Cassettes/CDs & Internet
– Writing & anchoring programs for All India Radio and TV Doordarshan
– Queen of duets sung with dozens of legendary fellow-triatrists
– First on Revolving Stage in tiatr, Margao on 25th October 1960
– First Konkani child artist while in school
– Acting in some of the first Konkani films
– Over 3000 singing performances
– 500 tiatr (drama) acts
– Over 1000 Musical Shows
There is ONLY ONE WOMAN who has done all of the above and more for Konkani & Goa.