The story of how the Spanish artist Salvador Dali made fun of 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 for the first time in this country. The Spaniards greeted him very kindly and hospitably: they provided a room in a luxurious hotel and held a social reception in his honor.
After Khachaturian finished the concert, which ended with a standing ovation, the Spaniards asked him if there is anything else that the maestro wants in Spain? Aram Ilyich was amazed at the warmth of the reception. He replied that he dreamed of meeting Salvador Dali, the world famous Spanish artist, admitting that he had long wanted to talk with Dali.
The composer's Spanish friends were a little embarrassed, because they knew that Dali could throw out any joke, but still called the artist in New York, where he was at that time. To their surprise, Dali immediately agreed: "Okay, I'll fly to Spain tomorrow." And he clarified what was waiting for Khachaturian in his castle at 14:00. The Spaniards were very happy and told the composer that the consent had been received. Khachaturian was a lot flattered that Dali even agreed to fly from New York, just to meet him.
The Soviet fellow musicians, who learned about the upcoming event, were excited and asked him to tell him about everything in as much detail 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 escorted him to the central hall, the largest in the castle. There, besides him, there was no one, but in the center was a huge dining room, filled 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 14:00.
But Dali did not show up either half an hour or an hour later. The composer did not have lunch before his visit, so he was already rather hungry. If so, he decided to eat, and from the drinks he chose cognac. When he finished, he decided that it was time to leave, since he was not respected here too: after all, the owner of the house never showed up! Khachaturian went to the door and grabbed the handle - it was locked. I went up to another - it was also locked! All four doors to the dining room were tightly closed. He knocked, shouted, pulled the doors, but to no avail, no one even thought to open him.
Three more hours passed, and the composer already wanted to use the toilet. I didn't even want to, but desperately wanted. When he became unbearable, he took a vase in the corner of the room, went up to it, but as soon as he got down to business, his own music, "Dance with Sabers", sounded loud, all the doors opened, and a naked Salvador Dali galloped across the whole hall on horseback on a mop. As soon as he disappeared into the opposite door, everything abruptly calmed down, and someone's voice said: "The audience with Salvador Dali is over!"
End of story
Khachaturian, numb and unable to move from shame and surprise, froze with his pants down. Recovering himself, he hastily put them on and ran to the waiting limousine.
To his Soviet friends, who were impatiently awaiting a detailed story, Aram Ilyich replied only briefly and a little angrily that he had talked with Dali both in music and painting. That evening he flew out of Spain.
Aram Khachaturian never visited Spain again.
And the next morning, a story by Salvador Dali appeared in Spanish newspapers, in which he was surprised that the Soviet composer did not know what a toilet was, since he prefers to use an old 17th century vase.
