About
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About
Image permission to be requested (NAS)
A studio portrait of Donald Moore in 1958 by Marjorie Doggett; Marjorie Doggett Collection, National Archives of Singapore
From the 1950s to the mid-1970s, Donald Moore brought world-famous orchestras, theatre performances, cultural productions, and musicians to Singapore, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Martha Graham and her Dance Company, mime artist Marcel Marceau, prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and boxing champion Muhammad Ali. His productions were supported by major sponsors, including Singapore Airlines, BP Singapore, and Barclay’s Bank.
Born in 1923 in Leicestershire, UK, Donald Moore arrived in Singapore in 1947, where he worked to establish distribution avenues for British publishing houses. He later founded Donald Moore Ltd (Singapore), followed by Eastern Universities Press and Asia Pacific Press, publishing numerous books on the history and cultural developments of Southeast Asia.
Beyond publishing, Moore became a key figure in Singapore’s arts scene, producing and presenting a wide range of performances. Recognized as Singapore’s first impresario, he played a pivotal role in shaping the local cultural landscape.
He established the Singapore Arts Theatre in 1951 and Donald Moore Productions. To cultivate a stronger arts-going culture, he also founded Singapore First Night Club, later renamed Friends of the Arts. This initiative offered members a 25% discount on concerts and plays presented by Donald Moore Productions.
Moore returned to the UK in 1976 and passed away in 2000 at the age of 76.
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Person (isSupportOf)
Troupe (isSupportOf)
| Troupe | Established Date |
|---|---|
| Philippine Baranggay Folk Dance Troupe [Sample Record] | 1949 |
Performance (isSupportOf)
Production (isSupportOf)
Tour (isSupportOf)
| Tour | Period |
|---|---|
| Donald Moore Concerts [Sample Record] | 1966 – 1966 |
| Martha Graham’s Tour of Asia (1955-1956) (Cultural exchange) | 1955 – 1954 |
Media
Image permission to be requested (NAS)
Joanna with her husband, theatre chief Mr Donald Moore (left), and friend Mr Geoffrey Penny discussing show business in the colony and abroad over cocktails at a Singapore hotel, 1955.
Image permission to be requested (NAS)
A studio portrait of Donald Moore in 1958 by Marjorie Doggett; Marjorie Doggett Collection, National Archives of Singapore
Sources
One, Clarissa. 2001. Theatre Life!: A History of English-Language Theatre in Singapore through The Straits Times (1958-2000). Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings.
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. 2016. “Donald Moore: Singapore’s First Impresario.” Off Stage, October 12, 2016. Accessed March 1, 2025. https://www.esplanade.com/offstage/arts/donald-moore.
Contributor
2025. “Donald Moore“. In Performing Archipelagos, edited by Kyueun Kim, Alvin Eng Hui Lim and Hedren Wai Yuan Sum. Singapore: National University of Singapore.
