Biographical article about Virgil Thomson, a native Kansas Citian and Pulitzer Prize-winning classical music composer. Co-composer of "two operas" with Gertrude Stein as an expatriate in Paris between the time of the world wars and then "music critic for the 'New York Herald Tribute'" from 1940 to 1954, writing movie scores such as "Louisiana Story," winner of the 1949 Pulitzer Prize. Donor of his music and papers to the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory in 1982 at the age of 85.