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  David Hemmings    (b. 18 November 1941) Boy Soprano Soloist 
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Born November 18, 1941 in Guildford, England, Hemmings was a laudable boy soprano who was featured in English Opera Group performances of the works of Benjamin Britten. Benjamin Britten wrote the role of Miles in The Turn Of The Screw with David in mind. Hemmings was nine when he first sang for Benjamin Britten. For three years he toured in The Turn Of The Screw, until his voice finally broke during a high aria on stage at the Champs Elysee Theatre in Paris. His understudy had been waiting, in full costume, throughout these three years, and was brought on after a brief interlude; alas, his voice broke three days later. At 12 Hemmings had begun acting in films.

His early British movie roles usually saw him cast as misunderstood or belligerent youths. His international breakthrough came when he auditioned for the role of the fashion photographer in Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 film Blow Up.

With 1972's Running Scared, Hemmings began a new career as a director of several movie and TV productions in England, Australia and Canada. Hemmings then worked on some of the biggest TV hits of the 1980s including Magnum PI, The A Team, Airwolf and Quantum Leap.
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Featured Recordings Compact | Full
David Hemmings - Britten: The Turn Of The Screw
Britten: The Turn Of The Screw (London 425672, CD) February 1990
Featuring David Hemmings  
David Hemmings Boy Soprano, Arda Mandikian Soprano, Olive Dyer Soprano, Joan Cross Soprano, Jennifer Vyvyan Soprano, Peter Sir Pears Tenor, English Opera Group Orchestra, Benjamin Britten Conductor
Available at   Amazon UK
Available at   Amazon US
Other Recordings Compact | Full
no cover
Britten Conducts Britten, Vol 3 (London Decca , CD) May 2006
Featuring Stephen Alexander   Darien Angadi   Stephen Daniels   Emanuel School Boys Chorus   Mark Emney   Robin Fairhurst   Daymond Hares   David Hemmings   Michael Ingram   Barnaby Jago   Colin Morris   David Pinto   Graham Preston   Adrian Thompson   Lyn Vaughan   Wandsworth School Boys' Choir   John Wojciechowski  
10 CD set.
Available at   CD Universe
David Hemmings - Britten: Saint Nicolas, Op. 42
Britten: Saint Nicolas, Op. 42 (Decca 4756156, CD) September 2004
Featuring David Hemmings  
Recorded in Parish Church, Aldeburgh, 1955
(Decca LXT 5060, LP 1955)
Peter Pears - tenor, David Hemmings - boy soprano, Ralph Downes - organ, Girls' Choir of Sir John Leman School, Beccles, Boys' Choir of Ipswich School Preparatory Department, Three boys from the Choir of St. Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich, Aldeburgh Festival Choir and Orchestra, Benjamin Britten
Available at   Amazon UK
Available at   Amazon US
Available at   Musica Bona
David Hemmings - Britten: The Little Sweep
Britten: The Little Sweep (London 436 393-2 , CD) July 1993
Featuring Robin Fairhurst   David Hemmings   Michael Ingram   Lyn Vaughan   Wandsworth School Boys' Choir  
A recording made in 1955 by Alleyn's School Choir / English Opera Group Orchestra with David Hemmings (as Sam), Jennifer Vyvyan, Nancy Evans, April Cantelo, Trevor Anthony, Sir Peter Pears, Michael Ingram [Michael Crawford] (as Gay Brook), Marilyn Baker, Robin Fairhurst (as Jonny Crome), Lyn Vaughan, Gabrielle Soskin, Conducted by Benjamin Britten
David Hemmings - Britten: St Nicolas/Rejoice in the Lamb
Britten: St Nicolas/Rejoice in the Lamb (London 4257142, CD) July 1990
Featuring Michael Hartnett   David Hemmings  
1. St Nicolas Composed by Benjamin Britten Performed by Beccles Sir John Leman School Choir / Ipswich School Preparatory Department Choir / Aldeburgh Festival Choir / Aldeburgh Festival Orchestra with Sir Peter Pears, David Hemmings, Ralph Downes Conducted by Benjamin Britten

2. Rejoice in the Lamb Composed by Benjamin Britten Performed by Purcell Singers with Michael Hartnett, Jonathan Steele (boy alto), Philip Todd, Donald Francke, George Malcolm Conducted by Benjamin Britten
Available at   Amazon US
Books Compact | Full
David Hemmings - Britten's Children, by John Bridcut
Britten's Children, by John Bridcut (Faber & Faber 0571228399, Book) June 2006
Featuring David Hemmings  
Britten’s Children confronts the edgy subject of the composer’s obsessional yet strangely innocent relationships with adolescent boys. One of the hallmarks of Benjamin Britten’s music is his use of boys’ voices, and John Bridcut uses this to create a fresh prism through which to view the composer’s life. Interweaving discussion of the music he wrote for and about children with interviews with the boys whom Britten befriended, Bridcut explores the influence of these unique friendships - notably with the late David Hemmings - and how they helped Britten maintain links with his own happy childhood.

Hardback 22 cm pp. 288 with 28 illustrations (including cover); paperback edition due June 2007
The documentary Britten’s Children won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s 2004 Award for Creative Communication.
Available at   MDT

This page last modified on Thursday, March 15, 2007
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