The story of how the Spanish artist Salvador Dali joked with the Soviet composer Aram Khachaturian is quite famous, despite the fact that many agree that the famous painter of the 20th century had a strange sense of humor.
Long-awaited meeting
Once Aram Khachaturian, a famous composer, performed on tour in Spain. He was the first in this country. The Spaniards met him very friendly and hospitable: they provided a room in a luxury hotel and arranged a social reception in his honor.
After Khachaturian finished the concert, which ended with a standing ovation, the Spaniards asked him if there was anything else that the maestro wanted in Spain? Aram Ilyich was struck by the warmth of reception. He replied that he wanted to meet with Salvador Dali, the world-famous Spanish artist, admitting that he would like to talk with Dali for a long time.
The composer's Spanish friends were a little embarrassed, because they knew that Dali could throw any joke, but still they called the artist in New York, where he was at that time. To their surprise, Dali immediately agreed: "Well, I’ll fly to Spain tomorrow." And he clarified what awaits Khachaturian in his castle at 14:00. The Spaniards were very happy and told the composer that consent was obtained. Khachaturian was quite flattered that Dali even agreed to fly from New York only to meet him.
Soviet fellow musicians who found out about the upcoming event were excited and asked him to tell about everything as detailed as possible.
Castle Events
The meeting was scheduled for the next day, and Aram Ilyich at the right time drove up to the castle in a limousine. When Aram Khachaturian arrived, the servants took him to the central hall, the largest in the castle. There was nobody there except him, but in the center was a huge dining room, laden with all kinds of drinks, fruits and dishes with food. Khachaturian was sure that the eccentric artist was only a little late, because the clock was exactly 2:00 p.m.
But Dali did not show up in half an hour or an hour later. The composer did not have dinner before the visit, so he was already quite hungry. If so, he decided to eat, and chose cognac from the drinks. Having finished, he decided that it was time to leave, since he was not respected too much: after all, the owner of the house had never appeared! Khachaturian went to the door and grabbed the handle - locked. He went to another - also locked! All four doors of the dining room were shut. He knocked, shouted, jerked the door, but to no avail, no one thought to open it.
Another three hours passed, and the composer already wanted to go to the toilet. Not even just wanted, but desperately desired. When it became unbearable, he took a vase standing in the corner of the room, approached her, but as soon as he got down to business, his own music, “Saber Dance” sounded loudly, all the doors opened and the naked Salvador Dali rode across the hall on the mop. As soon as he hid in the opposite door, when everything abruptly died down, and someone's voice said: "The audience with Salvador Dali is over!".
