When John Lennon moved to New York in the early seventies he said he'd done so because he wanted to be at the centre of the world.
New York in the fifties was even more a centre of excellence, and perhaps an even greater magnet for talent. With all the certified geniuses then either resident in Manhattan or working there, I've often wondered at the sort of sparkling dinner party that could have been put together.
How about this for the start of a sparkling guest list, put together from people spending a lot of time in New York at the time:
Frank Lloyd Wright
Maria Montessori
Arturo Toscanini
Ayn Rand
Pier Luigi Nervi
Duke Ellington
Albert Einstein
Terence Rattigan
Ludwig von Mises
Maria Callas
Godfrey N. Hounsfield
Wouldn't you just love to even be a fly on the wall at that gathering?
4 comments:
Me. And get rid of Callas.
I can see why we'd not want two prima donnas at the same table, Ruth, but were you really in NY in the fifties? Strewth!
I don't think Marie Curie (1867-1934) would be much company in the fifties, Vanzyl, but Imogen might well be a good choice. :-)
Well I guess the 50's are your style ole fella. Ditch Callas and include Montserat Caballe - if you have heard of her.Much more passion. And she was no snob - singing with another one of my heroes - Freddie Mercury.
It's not that the fifties are ~my~ style, as I said I'm excited by all the talent that was around NY at the time.
Monster Rat is good (her Tosca with Carreras is immense), but Callas was always better (and lived at the right time for our party). And Callas never, ever lacked for passion! :-)
But you can keep your Freddy Mercury. He was never one of my champions. :-P
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