"Having been invited many times . . . to realize over there, under my own conducting, some concerts with my symphonic works, I am now organizing the respective plan. . . ." In other, less fancy words: Latin America's most famous composer, Heitor Villa-Lobos, would like to visit Los Angeles and conduct the Janssen Symphony Orchestra in a concert of his own compositions.
It was easier said than done. State Department officials having heard that the Brazilian wanted to bring a female companion with him stalled over granting the necessary priorities. Conductor Werner Janssen...