Posthumous Post
The National Theatre, with a large seating capacity of 3,420, opened on 8 August 1963, despite only being partially completed, as the venue for the opening ceremony of the first Southeast Asia Cultural Festival. This eight-day event was billed as “the greatest show in the East.” Comprising 1,500 artists from 11 Asian countries, the festival included acts by Cambodian princesses and Hong Kong film stars and an open-air show on the steps of City Hall. The US Embassy was invited to contribute to the festival.
The Embassy invited pianist and composer Seymour Bernstein from the US to perform a “Rhapsody in Blue” for two pianos by American composer George Gershwin. I was invited as the second pianist to perform this characteristic “Blue Music”, first developed by African American musicians in the southern parts of the US. It was a memorable event conducted at a packed house at such a large venue! After the performance, Seymour gave me a copy of music composed by Samuel Barber, another US composer. I was surprised to see several videos about Seymour on YouTube. This shows him playing the evergreen piano piece by Beethoven, Für Elise (German for ‘For Elise’).
Can you believe that years later, while working full-time in the MOH and SGH, I was invited by the president and cabinet to serve simultaneously as the chairman of the National Theatre? I served the National Theatre for about 12 years and took part in the early planning of the Esplanade Theatre, which was meant to replace the one at Clemenceau Avenue at the foot of Fort Canning.
Tan It Koon
Before retirement, Dr Tan It Koon was, among many appointments, Head of Clinical Biochemistry at SGH’s Dept of Pathology. He was the Deputy Chairman of the National Theatre Trust and Chairman for Grants and Scholarships of the Spore Cultural Foundation. He received the National Day Awards, PBM, and PPA, for his contribution to cultural and community development and excellence in Public Administration.
