Telling of John F. Kennedy’s last living hours in Fort Worth, Texas.
Days
Hours
Minutes
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Technical assistance courtesy of the Mary Ferrell Foundation | Designed by iWebResults
I’m no expert on any kind of art but I thought Picasso and van Gogh are well respected.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/dallas-exhibit-reunites-art-jfk-saw-death
http://www.thestory.org/media/images-president-john-f-kennedy-s-last-exhibit
http://www.cartermuseum.org/exhibitions/hotel-texas-an-art-exhibition-for-the-president-and-mrs-john-f-kennedy
Morphine, Moons of the Sea of Serenity, the Red Army Choir, rub a dub dub six dem’s in a tub? Was the writer tripping on acid when he wrote this?
Regarding his bland suite, the many wealthy oil families of “Cowtown” (e.g. the Richardson’s, Bass’s and Carter’s) provided paintings and sculptures by world renowned artists for the suite that night which JFK and Jackie reportedly appreciated. Fort Worth still has at least two highly respected art museums. This should be of interest to Opera attendees.
The dissing of his “speech on the hardly operatic subject of military spending” is misleading. To start with his Fort Worth visit was a great success. His late arrival on Thursday night was enthusiastically greeted by a large crowd at Carswell AFB.
His not mentioned brief speech on a flat bed trailer in front of the hotel was to a crowd of of several thousand, some waiting in the rain since 4:00 AM and well received. Between Kennedy’s remarks at the breakfast about Jackie’s lateness, her entrance, and his compliments, “There are no weak hearts in Fort Worth”, his positive comments about the Tarrant County military manufacturing capabilities were well received.
His exit route back to Carswell was well lined with supporters.
They could have mentioned his Secret Service Agents slipping off to get drunk in the early morning hours before JFK’s Assassination at the Cellar. I’ve been by it but never in.
If anyone reading this site goes to this opera please do not miss the JFK Memorial next to the Hotel where he spent his last night and gave his last speeches. While, I think somewhat understated, probably purposefully so it is also graceful and moving.
Of course he left that morning with trepidation with prior warnings about going to Dallas, and after reading the Dallas papers said “we’re heading into nut country now”.
Regarding the artwork in the Kennedy’s suite at the hotel in Fort Worth, I recall reading an essay (I think it was written by Michael Beschloss). JFK and JBK arrived late and tired, and went to sleep quickly. When they awoke, Jackie found a book on the coffee table that had been prepared by the local art league, cataloging numerous French impressionist works which had been loaned to the hotel for the president’s stay. JBK, who was an expert on French art, laughed at the quality of the paintings. JFK, who was an expert politician, insisted that they write a note of appreciation in the book. It was probably the last thing he ever wrote.
Tragic opera I would suppose.
Anyone who has seen the footage of that Chamber of Commerce breakfast at Hotel Texas in Forth Worth on the morning of the 22nd will understand the sense of eerie foreshadowing and dark irony which the composers of this opera mention in this NY Times article. “Spooky” is not too strong a word for it (which is probably not an unintentional pun on what CIA behavior became infamous for in 1960s American popular culture).