1952-1960
1952
First performance of Trouble in Tahiti, opera in one act; birth of daughter Jamie; artistic director, Festival of Creative Arts, Brandeis University.
1953
First performance of the musical Wonderful Town; conducted Cherubini's opera Medea at La Scala with Maria Callas.
1954
Scored the film On the Waterfront; first performance, in Venice, of Serenade for Violin Solo, Strings and Percussion, modeled on Plato's Symposium; first television appearance on Omnibus.
1955
Conducted Symphony of the Air season in New York; birth of son Alexander; first performance of Jean Anouilh's play The Lark, as adapted by Lillian Hellman, with incidental music.
1956
Guest conductor, New York Philharmonic Orchestra; premiere of the comic operetta Candide.
1957
Joint principal conductor, New York Philharmonic, 1957-58; premiere of the musical West Side Story; conducted inaugural concert of Mann Auditorium, Tel Aviv.
1958
Music director, New York Philharmonic, 1958-69; shared tour of Latin America with Dimitri Mitropoulos; conducted first of fourteen seasons of "Young People's Concerts."
1959
Toured Europe and Soviet Union with New York Philharmonic; first book, The Joy of Music, published.
1960
Mounted Mahler centenary season with New York Philharmonic.
