DEAR ABBY: Your column in the St. Petersburg Times listed people who managed to succeed against the odds.
I don't know about the rest of them, but your thumbnail sketch of the great Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini was quite inaccurate.
Toscanini was NOT a "second fiddle in an obscure South American orchestra." He was a gifted and superbly trained cellist in an orchestra formed by an Italian impresario for a South American tour.
Toscanini graduated at the top of his class at the Parma Conservatory and as a student was nicknamed "Genio" (genius). In addition to being the principal cellist of the touring orchestra, Toscanini was the opera company's vocal coach and was greatly admired by the singers and instrumentalists. Thus he was exceedingly well prepared and equipped for his impromptu conducting debut at age 19, and for the unique career that followed. -- ANTHONY SKEY, ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.
DEAR MR. SKEY: Thank you for pointing out the inaccuracy concerning Toscanini. Mea culpa!