Vocalist Oscar Castellino, and pianist Nadine Crasto performed operatic pieces to raise funds for students of St Xavier’s College in Mumbai. The idea was to help fund higher education of college students who belong to disadvantaged backgrounds. This concert was part of the Operawala Tour of India, which was organised by the Italian Cultural Centre and supported by Furtados. “I wanted to promote the Opera in India. I truly believe that that this kind of music can be suited to the Indian ear. Which is why I came to India and started Operawala,” shares Castellino, who trained at the Royal College of Music in London. “As a child, I studied in a boarding school in Mussourie. When I returned to Mumbai, I joined a choir group. At that time, it was more of a social thing, but it helped develop my voice. I was studying physics at St Xavier’s College, and realised that I really enjoyed music. It’s one of the main reasons why I wanted to do a charitable event at the college,” he adds. The event generated Rs 20,000 while the annual college fee for each student is roughly Rs 4,000. “We did make it a ticketed event. People dropped their contributions in collection boxes after the performance,” Castellino informs.

Oscar Castellino performs at St Xavier's College. Pic/Bipin Kokate