Villa-Lobos's favourite place in Europe was always Paris, and in the 1950s he spent a fair bit of time at the Hotel Bedford, 17 rue de l’Arcade, in the 8th District, near the Champs-Élysées. I made my own pilgrimage there in 2004 when we visited Paris. The picture above, from the new Museu Villa-Lobos website, is from the Restaurante Nino in the Hotel. Villa & Mindinha are enjoying their meal with friends, including the pianist Marguerite Long (sitting on Villa's left) and the composer Florent Schmitt (the white-haired, bearded gentleman on Mindinha's right.
Villa was pleased and flattered when he was offered the same suite used by the Emperor of Brazil, Pedro II, during his exile after 1889. He even used the Emperor's writing desk. In 1971 the Brazilian ambassador arranged for this plaque. I remember it from my visit, but I don't see it on Google Street View.
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| photo: Ed Tervooren |
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