Libraries

‘The Very Model of a Modern Major’ Collector

PENZANCE PENCHANT: Gilbert and Sullivan collector Kanthor

Calling Harold Kanthor ’66M (MD) a fan of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, the creative duo behind such comic operas as The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore, and The Pirates of Penzance, might be something of an understatement.

The Rochester pediatrician shared more than 200 items drawn from his private collection of Gilbert and Sullivan pieces in an exhibition last winter in the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections and Preservation at Rush Rhees Library.

Commemorating the original London productions of each of the team’s operas, and their earliest representations in America, the exhibition included drawings, letters, playbills, illustrations, souvenirs from original productions, and advertising materials that capitalized on the popularity of Gilbert and Sullivan in America.

“For me, their literary and musical wit is unique, and their work transcends the Victorian age and has great appeal even in the 21st century,” says Kanthor, who has been collecting the materials for more than 25 years.