Holdings Alumni Association Alumni Larry King Papers and Opera... Finding Aid By Nolan Vallier
Title: Larry King Papers and Opera Collection, 1963-1993
ID: 26/20/215
Primary Creator: King, Lawrence Stanford (1946-1994)
Extent: 0.55 cubic feet
Arrangement: Organized in two series: Series 1, Opera Photographs and Posters; and Series 2, Legal Licenses and Certificates.
Date Acquired: 07/23/2018
Subjects: Alumni, Law, Law, College of, Opera, Publicity, University of Illinois Alumni Association, Vocal music
Formats/Genres: Concert Programs, Photographs, Posters
Consists of opera performer publicity photographs, many of which are autographed; autographed opera programs; and opera posters, documenting Larry King's extensive opera collection; also includes King's law licenses from Florida, Illinois, and New York.
Lawrence "Larry" Stanford King (1946-1994) was born in Orange County, CA on March 30, 1946 to parents Stanford and Evelyn King. As a high school student, King started a radio broadcast called "The World of Unfamiliar Opera." After graduating, King attended the University of Illinois, receiving an A.B. in Philosophy in 1968. As an undergraduate student, he was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity, the W.P.G.U., the Interfraternity Council, the Russian Club, the Young Republican's Club, and contributor to the Daily Illini on opera reviews. He returned to the University of Illinois, earning his J.D. from the College of Law in 1973. King served for one year in the Vietnam War and upon his return practiced corporate law in New York City. Throughout his life, King was an avid opera-goer and collector, amassing a collection of nearly 60,000 opera LPs, sound recordings, and scores throughout his life. He frequently contributed to Opera magazines and wrote liner notes for opera albums.
Following a career in law with Texaco, he retired to Boca Raton, Florida, where he died on November 23, 1994. Upon his death, his vast collection of musical recordings, scores, opera librettos, photographs, posters, books, and other opera memorabilia was donated by King's parents to the Music and Performing Arts Library. The University Library established the Lawrence Stanford King Graduate Assistantship in the Music Library Endowment Fund, which was the first named graduate student endowment at the University of Illinois Library.
Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Acquisition Source: Music and Performing Arts Library
Acquisition Method: Transfer
Appraisal Information: King's opera collection was originally donated to the Music and Performing Arts Library by his parents in 1994. The collection included more than 60,000 items including commercial recordings, scores, and a small body of paper records. Commercially produced sound recordings and scores were incorporated into MPAL's circulating collections between 1994 and 2018, which was funded by the Lawrence S. King Endowed Graduate Assistantship. In 2018, his paper records were transferred to the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music.
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