When Meredith Willson’s The Music Man made its Broadway bow on December 19, 1957 at The Majestic Theatre (today the home of Phantom of the Opera), the composer-lyricist-librettist had already enjoyed a long and prolific career.  Willson, born in Mason City, Iowa – the inspiration for The Music Man‘s River City – had played flute and piccolo in the orchestras of John Philip Sousa and Arturo Toscanini; became the musical director of NBC Radio in Hollywood; received Academy Award nominations for the music of the films The Great Dictator and The Little…