Abbé Faria: one of Goa’s first global citizens
Link to the original interview in Portuguese on Renascenca Goa podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnBCV6fCgTI
ON: September this year [2019] is the month of Abbé Faria, marking two hundred years since his passing… Let’s start by talking about your interest in Abbé Faria…
ISRV: I have such great respect for Abbé Faria that I believe every year is a year dedicated to Abbé Faria. His contribution, in so many ways, is something we must not forget, and I am delighted that you have taken an interest in this figure, this subject and this date.
The person who first planted the seed in my mind to undertake a slightly more in-depth study of Abbé Faria was Mr Matanhy Saldanha. He invited a few people round for tea and discussed whether it might be possible to do something — let’s say, a small museum or some other activity — to honour the great figure of Abbé Faria. At that time, Mr Matanhy Saldanha was a member of the Government, but a few months later he was no longer in government, and the whole project fell through.
But I didn’t lose interest. I’d already started reading up on it, and at that point I discovered that, many years earlier, my brother, Luís, had written an article. When I read that article, I became even more interested, and both Luís and I continued to do a bit of research. He did far more than I did, but I made use of the information he’d gathered to carry out some work of my own later on.
That’s when my interest really took off. But we found more and more information, and more and more people who had, in one way or another, been in contact with Abbé Faria, so it turned into a truly fascinating journey.
FILM ON FARIA
ON: How did you take this interest further? Did you make a film?
ISRV: Yes, I took part in a short course in film-making or video-making. And when we reached the end of the course, each of us had to decide on a project, based on how we would have made a film. When one of my classmates, Cecil Pinto, and I began to delve deeper into our interest in Abbé Faria, we thought, why not make this documentary?
By that point, I already had plenty of material, so the idea for a documentary emerged, and we decided that, since there were people around us who had the relevant knowledge, the film should be interview-based…
ON: To prepare for this documentary, In Search of Abbé Faria https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mdL24UOXVs, can you tell us which authors you read and the people you spoke to, because, nowadays, finding people who know about Abbé Faria’s life must be quite rare…
ISRV: The Central Library was a very rewarding place for me because I was able to read what Egas Moniz says about Abbé Faria, what Gelásio Dalgado says about Abbé Faria, and a whole host of newspaper articles… Gomes Catão and various other people who wrote about Abbé Faria… It’s all on record…
ON: I hope we’ll now take an interest in the information you have provided, given that the Library is really very well organised…
ISRV: Very well organised indeed, and with such a rich collection… And if anyone shows an interest in reading something, they help — they really do help — and it was easier because my brother Luís had already looked into several of these authors, so I knew where to go and what to read…
RESEARCH ON FARIA
ON: You already had some leads… But when you spoke to people, did you find anything new, or was it just a repeat of what was in the books?
ISRV: We found two people. We knew these people existed, but we got in direct contact with them: one was the Russian Professor, Mikhail Buyanov. We sent him an email and he replied. He wasn’t very fluent in English, but he replied through a colleague. And we’d already read the chapter in his book Psychiatry and You.
We also contacted a lady, an Italian teacher, who has written several books on Portuguese theatre. She was an Italian, no doubt, but Portuguese at heart, so to speak. She told us things that really made our trip even more interesting… She told us that both she and her husband had collected a great deal of material on Abbé Faria. She was unable to share it with us because, meanwhile, she passed away: Luciana Stegnano Picchio.
So, for those in Italy, it’s quite possible they’ll get more material. And I’m sure there must be more newspapers in France, as well as other records in churches and various other places, and scholars too – perhaps more recent ones…
ON: And in Goa?
ISRV: Here in Goa, we’d already contacted people. We already had an idea of what they knew, but sometimes we came across additional information. For example, Dr Manohar Sardessai. Certain things he said stuck in my mind. The story that the Abbé was supposedly imprisoned at the Château d’If: it’s not history, it’s perhaps a legend.
But what Professor Sardessai said was that here in India, legend is more important than history, and that history does not become reality until it turns into a legend... So, if we think of it in this way, Abbé Faria is as much history as he is legend…
ON: That is why Abbé Faria continues to live on… Did you find any of Faria’s relatives?
ISRV: We were very lucky to find Mr William Faria in Candolim – a great-grandnephew, I believe. We visited Mr Faria and when the film was screened in Panjim, he attended… He was already over 80 years old.
I’d also like to mention that we visited Abbé Faria’s house in Colvale. It was already in ruins by then, but there was a sign that read ‘Solar dos Farias’ (Faria Mansion). It was a beautiful house, though in ruins, and in such a lovely spot overlooking the river and the beach…
ON: Is it the same one with a chapel nearby? Doesn’t it belong to José Nicolau da Fonseca?... It isn’t Abbé Faria’s original house, is it?
ISRV: I think part of it was original and was rebuilt, and now even the part that was rebuilt is completely in ruins…
ON: Well, the people you spoke to must have said something new. Do you remember anything?
ISRV: There are certain things that were said which we can’t really confirm. For example, Professor Mikhail Buyanov spoke of the chess set that was enlarged by Abbé Faria: these things are unheard of in Goa. Perhaps it’s true, perhaps it isn’t, but it’s also an interesting legend…
ON: Did Buyanov ever visit Goa?
ISRV: Yes, he did, and we have a photograph of him near the statue of Abbé Faria.
FARIA’S LIFE
ON: Moving on to Abbé Faria’s life. What were the key milestones in the life of José Custódio de Faria?
ISRV: There were various stages in his life, and all of them, I think, left their mark in some way on his heart. For example, his childhood, the years he spent in Goa aged 14 and 15: I think they must have had a significant influence on him.
One person who is forgotten, let’s say, has not been forgotten by me, for in the play I wrote about Abbé Faria titled Kator Re Bhaji, one of the main characters is Catarina, who was José Custódio’s adopted sister. I am convinced that this girl, who was more or less the same age as José Custódio, must have had some influence on his imagination. When he was in Lisbon – and both he and his father had lost touch with Goa — he wrote a single letter to a neighbour in Candolim and sent an oratório (oratory) to his sister Catarina. One wouldn’t send an oratory to someone for whom one has no affection whatsoever. So, for me, that oratory is a symbol of the attachment he felt for Goa.
Furthermore, in the book he wrote [De la cause du sommeil lucide — On the Cause of Lucid Sleep], there are words in Konkani. He speaks of ‘mutt marop’, ‘tel lavop’, which shows that his childhood was not very different from ours in Goa: the same sort of family, the same family care… So, I think his time in Goa was important in his life.
Then there was the journey to Portugal by boat: what a great adventure! In Lisbon, father and son knew the language and had some contacts, but I think Rome must have been even more interesting — for the father, but even more so for the boy — because he was going there to study, and there must have been teachers, libraries, and books there that made him think of a wider world.
He returned to Portugal and I think that marked a third phase, which must have been quite difficult. We’ve spoken of the ‘Kator re bhaji’ that the father said to his son… Was the father referring only to that particular speech, or to the whole of life — the future that lay ahead of this young man — which wasn’t going to be easy?
What’s more, the father soon found himself shut away in his own home, and the boy had to leave for France. He spent a significant part of his life in France, where he was very well known, and then became completely disoriented because people made fun of him. He died utterly destitute and humiliated.
FARIA’S FATE
ON: One thing that strikes me is that this family never met again…
ISRV: I get the impression that the father always wanted to return because, when he arrived in Rome, he tried to buy the typefaces for Malayalam and Tamil. He was a scholar. He had a love for India and a nativist streak, as we say; so, I’m convinced that they intended to return, but the political situation was such that they were never able to…
ON: His gesture towards Catarina reveals the affective side of José Custódio de Faria. Don’t you think this is a side of Abbé Faria that hasn’t received much attention?
ISRV: For me, personally, there are two aspects that have not been explored: one was this, the family aspect, and the second was the spiritual aspect. He was a priest — let us not forget that. The speech he gave and the research he undertook were on the Holy Spirit. I do not think these were superficial matters. When he was studying the human brain and hypnotism, might he not have been thinking about the human spirit? I am certain that he must have pursued that line of thought. It is a very personal certainty, a personal conviction.
Therefore, certain aspects of José Custódio’s spirit were so intimate that not everything was said, and it was in this spirit that I wrote that play…
[Next, Catarina’s song, composed and performed by classical guitarist Rui Lobo for the play Kator Re Bhaji]
ON: In this whole story of Abbé Faria, there is much more to be done in terms of research in archives and libraries, talking to people, and so on, but also in terms of the tribute itself… So, what remains to be done?
ISRV: Professor Matanhy had the idea that the house in Candolim could be turned into a museum without too much difficulty, because the house now belongs to the Provedoria, but it didn’t go ahead. It’s something that can be done now.
Another suggestion we put forward at the time was that the Indian Government could have issued a commemorative stamp. The Portuguese Government produced a first-day cover featuring a bust of Abbé Faria. In India, we have done nothing of the sort. I believe that not only in Goa but throughout India, people need to learn about this figure — perhaps one of our first global citizens.
ON: With these very interesting words from you and your perspective, we thank you for this interview and hope that you will continue to take an interest in Abbé Faria!
ISRV: Thank you!
Isabel de Santa Rita Vás has been a teacher by profession for over three decades, and is now retired; she taught in school, college and is on the guest faculty of Goa University. She is a founder member of the Mustard Seed Art Company, an amateur theatre group that has been performing plays for the last 39 years. She has written a number of plays, often directs them and has written the scripts of a few video-films commemorating interesting Goan personalities like Abbé Faria, Dr José Pereira, and writer Victor Rangel-Ribeiro, all made in collaboration with Cecil Pinto.
First published in Revista da Casa de Goa, Series II, No. 42, Sep-Oct 2026, pp 68-72
Castellino: A Goan Baritone goes Global
Oscar Castellino (OC) in an interview with Óscar de Noronha (ON), Associate Editor, Revista da Casa de Goa.
For the Goan diaspora, music has always been the thread that stitches together our scattered history. Few artists pull that thread with as much resonance as Oscar Castellino. A baritone, who traces his Goan ancestry to the villages of Assagão and Curtorim, and whose voice bridges the gap between the vibrant streets of Mumbai, the lush hills of Goa, and the grand opera houses of Europe, Oscar is redefining what it means to be a Goan artist in the 21st century.
Lisbon Concert
ON: Lisbon is looking forward to your concert on 8 March. How have you curated the repertoire to resonate with both the Portuguese locals and the Goan diaspora?
OC: This is my first trip to Portugal and it is very exciting for me, due to the rich cultural bonds between Goa and Portugal. I love the sound of the Portuguese language and it has shaped my recent compositions. I would like to showcase some of them at the concert. Along with new compositions, I have selected beloved songs from the Goan tradition as well as beloved operatic tunes. Rodrigo Ayala, the pianist, and I will take the audience on a journey from Goa to Italy to Lisbon.
ON: In a city as historically connected to Goa as Lisbon, what specific emotions or cultural memories are you hoping to stir through your performance?
OC: My grandfather would sing lullabies to me in Portuguese and Konkani. Being exposed to those sounds at a very young age, then travelling out of Goa and India, picking up musical traditions and skills, and now coming back into that tradition to unite my background and my skills in opera — culminating in a concert in Lisbon — is a journey worth sharing with the audience. On the morning of the day when I leave London for Lisbon, I have a rehearsal at the Royal Opera House for Samson et Dalila by Camille Saint-Saëns. Incidentally, he is also the composer of Une nuit à Lisbonne.
Early Music Career
ON: Growing up in Bombay, how did the city's eclectic soundscape — from choral traditions to the Stop-Gaps Ensemble — shape your early understanding of Western music?
OC: My family are from the Sacred Heart Parish in Santacruz West, and we had the privilege of listening to wonderful singers at our church events. I remember in particular Gus D'Lima, who had a fabulous tenor voice and would sing from the loft in the church — that was my first exposure to a classically projected sound. I then joined the Stop-Gaps Choral Ensemble under the direction of Alfred D'Souza, who is a leading figure in the choral world in India and a pioneer in many ways. He would have us project our sound and move at the same time, with quick costume changes — very good training for my career in opera later.
ON: You were a software programmer before being discovered by Patricia Rozario. Could you describe that turning-point moment?
OC: After completing my Physics degree, I received a scholarship from the National Centre for Software Technology to do an advanced diploma in software programming. I then worked in the vibrant IT sector in India in the early 2000s. It was at that time that Patricia Rozario came to India to scout for voices with operatic potential. After hearing me sing, she recommended that I audition at the Royal College of Music in London. I auditioned after completing a workshop with her. I remember the day clearly — I was writing code at my desk in my software job when I saw a pop-up email notification on my screen saying that I had been accepted at the Royal College of Music. That was a pivotal moment in my journey.
ON: Transitioning from a science background to the Royal Colleges of Music and Drama is a massive leap. Beyond the financial hurdles, what was the steepest learning curve you faced when competing with students who had been training since childhood?
OC: When I mentioned to people in the West that I had moved from a software job to a music career, they were often surprised because of the vast difference in financial prospects. However, coming from an Indian background, this opportunity was something so unusual and almost unheard of that when I received a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music, there was no question that I would take it up. It opened a whole new world to me — something that very few people from India could consider doing.
Coming to London to train in opera was a steep learning curve, not only musically but culturally. My colleagues had trained for over a decade in many cases, and I did not yet know how to read sheet music. We had a very intense training schedule every day and had to prepare songs in various languages — all of them new to me. But as with everything, I knew it would take some time and that I would grow more comfortable. I had a lot of confidence in my ability on stage, and I knew it would just be a matter of time before everything came together. Indeed, in my second year of training I was given my first role in an opera — the character of Dancairo in Carmen — and that was a very good showcase for me.
Singer, Composer, Actor
ON: From performing at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012 to singing in major opera houses, which moment has been the most surreal or emotionally fulfilling for you?
OC: There have been many large ovations and curtain calls on the operatic stage. However, interestingly, the most powerful moment for me was when I sang at the Mars Convention in California, USA — performing my own composition about Mars to an audience of scientists, astronauts, and space enthusiasts, who all sang along with me the refrain to “Rise to Mars”. It was a powerful moment because it combined the power of opera with the reality of an ongoing mission. I love to compose and to sing music that moves people and inspires them to dream big.
ON: "Rise to Mars" is an unusual topic for an opera singer. What inspired you to compose that inspirational space anthem? Also, how does your composing process differ from your singing?
OC: Two things inspired me about space. First, I of course have a degree in Physics. But beyond that, I attended a boarding school in the north of India in the hill station of Mussoorie, where the skies were very clear with very little pollution — you could see the night sky and the stars brilliantly. As a little boy, that begs you to wonder about celestial objects, their origins, and what lies beyond. That wonder has always stayed with me, and it came naturally to compose a song with the power of an orchestra to fulfil that imagination.
Composition is really an extension of my singing — I have mostly composed for my own voice, and it is doubly powerful when you sing your own work because it comes from deep within. You also have the liberty to write music that suits your voice. I have also written music for other voices — this past Christmas I wrote a song called “Nas praias douradas de Goa”, exploring the writings of a Goan-Portuguese poet, Gabriel Pais, who was my grandfather, and it was sung by Chelsea D'Souza. Her rendition took the song to another level entirely, which was very fulfilling to witness.
ON: What was the reaction from international listeners when you sang the Konkani Christmas carol "Mari Matek Ballok Zala" at the 2020 Commonwealth Christmas Concert? Why was that performance important to you?
OC: “Mari Matek Ballok Zala”, composed by Manohar Sardessai (lyrics) and Micael Martins (music), was an instrument that not only gave me the confidence to sing more in Konkani, but also reached many new listeners around the world — people hearing the Konkani language for the very first time. Not only did people back in Goa appreciate the song, but people from the opera world wrote to me asking about the language and the composers. I have sung many songs that appeal to particular communities — whether from the opera world or the Goan diaspora — but this song had the power to appeal across tastes and cultures.
This performance was very important to me in hindsight because, although I do not rate my Konkani and thought that listeners would be hard on me if my language was not perfect, I found that Goan people are very supportive when you use the language with purpose and good intentions. That encouraged me to further explore both Konkani and Portuguese-language music.
ON: How has your unique cultural background allowed you to look at operatic roles through a different lens, transforming potential language barriers into artistic opportunities?
OC: One can look at challenges in different ways. You could look at entering the operatic world from an unusual background as a disadvantage — you may not know the norms, you may not have trained as a child, you may face early rejection. On the other hand, if you are confident in your ability as an artist and performer, and you know that you have something to contribute, then when you persist and persevere, you will cut through and come up with something exciting — something that not only adds to the art form you are performing in, but also takes something back to your own culture.
Goa and the Future
ON: Goans have immense natural musical talent. What concrete advice would you give them for honing their craft and pursuing Western classical music? Also, how can they bridge the gap to opportunities in the West?
OC: Because Goan music has influences from both Western and Indian musical traditions, we have a unique situation — a wealth of classically adept musicians who are also able to adapt and improvise. These are powerful tools together for making great music.
I have seen various musicians put out their work on YouTube and other platforms, and these are excellent mediums for getting noticed today. One is also able to take advice and tuition over the internet without even travelling abroad, so a small investment in a few classes with a teacher in another country can give that little edge in making music more successful and accessible to a larger audience.
There are also musicians who visit Goa from various disciplines, and accessing those musicians is very helpful — they are often happy to perform, and many have time to give a lesson or simply have a conversation. I was very fortunate to learn from Patricia Rozario and Mark Troop when they visited India, and that gave me great insights into classical music.
The biggest challenges are also the biggest opportunities — and if you go with that attitude, great things can be achieved.
ON: Your recent videos circulating on social media feature you singing in Konkani, Portuguese, and English. Do you see your work as a form of cultural preservation, or is it more about evolving the Goan identity for a global stage?
OC: My actual main goal is simply to entertain people, inspire people, and bring old memories alive. It is almost coincidental that when I sit down to compose, I find my own culture and background to be a very powerful tool — which is why music in Konkani and Portuguese speaks to me, and therefore speaks to my audience. If in the process it helps in evolving the Goan identity on the global stage, there is nothing like it!
ON: As you continue your career, what is the ultimate legacy you hope to leave behind as an Indian-born, internationally acclaimed baritone?
OC: If I can help continue the legacy and bring to the attention of future generations our great poets of the past and the rich cultural heritage I was exposed to as a child — while also adding something from the modern day that makes it even more powerful — that would be very fulfilling, so that future generations can live and enjoy that tradition, and be proud to be Goan, no matter where they were born or what languages they speak.
The poem by Manohar Rai Sardessai, “Toch Mhozo Ganv” ("That’s my Village"), resonated deeply with me, as it has with so much of my audience — because we are so proud of our Goa and our villages that we never forget them, and identify with them even when generations have not lived there.
Credits: All images are property of Oscar Castellino website https://oscarcastellino.com/ unless otherwise stated.
Banner pic: Karol Wyszynski
First published in Revista da Casa de Goa, Series II, Issue No. 39, March-April 2026, pp 68-71. Published here with additional pictures.