Covent Garden is presented in the diary as both a performance venue and a social setting during a London evening in July 1979. At Martha Graham’s opening, a front-row balcony gathering watched the program, met performers backstage, and continued with drinks in the venue’s bar. The diarist’s comparison of Covent Garden to the old Met gives the place a vivid architectural presence within an account otherwise attentive to company, clothes, and movement between rooms.

Performance and Audience

The party of theatergoers assembled in Halston’s room before going to the performance. The group included John Bowes-Lyon, Dr. Giller, Randy, Steve, Victor, and the diarist; Fred Hughes left separately with Sabrina Guinness. They had seats in the front row of the balcony, a position that placed them close to the stage while keeping the evening’s prominent company visible together.

The program included three numbers, followed by Liza Minnelli performing The Owl and the Pussycat. Martha Graham then delivered a speech that lasted about half an hour. The performers wore Halston designs, linking the evening’s dance program with the fashion world that had gathered around it. Lynn Wyatt sat beside Fred Hughes before moving next to John Bowes-Lyon.

Backstage and the Bar

After the performance, the group went backstage to greet Liza Minnelli and Martha Graham. The evening then shifted from the stage to a small cocktail party in the bar area. The diary describes Covent Garden as beautiful, with the appearance of the old Met: a brief comparison that makes the venue’s look part of the remembered occasion, rather than merely a backdrop to it.

From the Venue to Halston’s Party

After drinks, the group walked from Covent Garden to the Savoy, where Halston was hosting a private party. The guests initially remained upstairs, unaware that the gathering also extended downstairs. When they realized they were missing the larger party below, they went down to join Halston, Liza Minnelli, Princess Margaret, and others. Covent Garden thus marks the evening’s transition: from a formal performance and backstage greetings to a more expansive social event at the Savoy.