Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 11 › Conversation 011-016

Nixon phone call with Colson on Kennedy Center and Eugene Ormandy

Thursday, October 7, 1971 · 9:17 PM–9:20 PM ET · White House Telephone · 39 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation011-016 on Tape 11 (tape position 00:27:12–00:27:55)StartThursday, October 7, 1971 at 9:17 PMEndThursday, October 7, 1971 at 9:20 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 011-016 ↗

President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss potential evening entertainment options at the Kennedy Center. Colson clarifies the scheduling of Eugene Ormandy’s performance at Constitution Hall and identifies the current acts at the Kennedy Center, specifically the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre and the Chamber Orchestra of Mexico City. Nixon expresses skepticism regarding the appeal of the current Kennedy Center programming, prompting Colson to offer to conduct further research on the events.

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Yeah.
Yeah.
Mr. President?
Yeah.
Eugene Ormandy is either tomorrow night or the weekend at Constitution Hall, but he isn't tonight at the Kennedy Center.
At the Kennedy Center tonight, the Opera House has a dance theater, the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, which I don't know what that is.
The Concert Hall has Chamber Orchestra of Mexico City, which I haven't been able to find anybody here who knows anything about.
what that is it doesn't sound so great okay would you like me to check it further and see if that's enough okay

On October 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 9:17 pm to 9:20 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 011-016 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 011-016

 Date: October 7, 1971
 Time: 9:17 pm - 9:20 pm
 Location: White House Telephone

 The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

        Eugene Ormandy
             -Schedule

        Kennedy Center
            -Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre
            -Chamber Orchestra of Mexico City

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
  • 011-009 8:57 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:57 pm.
  • 011-010 8:58 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:58 pm.
  • 011-011 8:58 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:58 pm and 9:03 pm.
  • 011-012 8:58 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:58 pm and 9:03 pm.
  • 011-013 8:58 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:58 pm and 9:03 pm.
  • 011-014 9:03 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 9:03 pm to 9:09 pm.
  • 011-015 9:09 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone from 9:09 pm to 9:11 pm.
  • 011-017 9:20 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:20 pm and 9:40 pm.

Conversation 011-016, October 8, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/011-016 (accessed October 12, 2026).