"TUTANKHAMEN."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20668, 13 September 1930, Page 9 (Supplement)

"TUTANKHAMEN."

AN AMATEUR REVIVAL.

The Auckland Amateur Operatic Society has announced it 3 intention of reviving the splendid musical effort, " Tutankhamen," which took the city by storm in 1923, and, as a result of insistent demands was repeated with even greater success a few months later. This remarkable production was originally written for a curtain-raiser to the Society's main production for the year 1923. As the conception grew in the mind of the composer, Mr. Eric Waters, he commenced to compose the necessary music rathor than borrow from popular melodies, and the committee was so impressed by the grandeur and beauty of the music that he was requested to interpolate as many numbers of his own composition as possible. All the most successful numbers were from the pen of Mr. Waters, and for the third production of " Tutankhamen " it has been decided that the musical sido shall bo enriched with more of his compositions. Unlike many musical entertainments, Tutankhamen " is founded on a most coinpleto and convincing theme, which holds the attention of the audience from start to finish. It was written at a time when the world was on tip-toe to learn what was in the tomb of the Egyptian monarch, Tutankhamen. Now that' the contents of the tomb have been discovered, and interest centres on the destination of the relics, modifications of tho plot have been necessary in order to bring it up to date. In view of the present theatrical depression, tho society is to be congratulated on its courage in bringing forward such an ambitious production. The memory of past triumphs, however, and the genuine merits of " Tutankhamen " should ensure its success.