Pablo Casals' Magical Night at the Kennedy White House - AARP.org Music
The Kennedys' Camelot Culture
Hear about the historic night Pablo Casals forgave the U S for its support of Franco — and charmed Jackie
Photo by Robert Knudsen/The White House Cellist Pablo Casals greets first lady Jacqueline Kennedy after a concert given in the White House in November 1961. Historians have called it Camelot on the Potomac, equating the arrival of Jack and Jackie Kennedy to Washington, D.C., with the hit Broadway musical about the legendary rule of King Arthur and Guinevere. It has become a near-mythic time when a handsome young president took on the nation’s problems with vigor, and his glamorous first lady welcomed into a White House filled with culture and . Related
For the 50th anniversary of the this year, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington is celebrating the cultural legacy of the Kennedy White House. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma was among those commemorating perhaps the most famous concert of the Kennedy years: the performance given by Spanish cellist Pablo Casals in 1961. In addition to his exceptional artistry, Casals was a respected figure for his impassioned stand on human rights. For several years, he expressed his anger against the government of Spain by not performing at all, and he went so far as to boycott countries, such as the United States, that he believed propped up the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. During the , Casals became aware of the young candidate John Kennedy, and in 1961 he accepted an invitation to perform at the White House as a symbol of his agreement with President Kennedy's views that "we must regard artistic achievement and action as an integral part of our free society." The story of this concert can be heard in the audio excerpt on this page from a podcast about culture in the Kennedy years, produced by Richard Paul for , the Kennedy Center's free digital media platform for teaching and learning in the arts. Richard Dreyfuss is the narrator. ArtsEdge resources include lesson plans, guides, audio, video and games. They are "designed to support active engagement with the arts in the classroom, at home and beyond." Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
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