Background
Hemmings, Peter William was born on April 10, 1934 in London. Son of William and Rosalind H. ((Jones)) Hemmings.
orchestra and opera administrator
Hemmings, Peter William was born on April 10, 1934 in London. Son of William and Rosalind H. ((Jones)) Hemmings.
Graduate, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, England, 1957. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Strathclyude University, Glasgow, 1978. Doctor of Fine Arts, California State University, 2000.
That company"s success led to the founding of the New Opera Company in 1957 with Hemmings as general manager. In 1966, he became the chief administrator of Scottish Opera, a position he held for almost 20 years. In 1977, he was appointed general manager of the Australian Opera, but clashed with the music director, Richard Bonynge.
In that difficult time his most significant contribution to opera in Australia was the commissioning of the opera Voss from Richard Meale.
Later, he managed the London Symphony Orchestra for four years, then accepted a position as the general manager of the Los Angeles Opera in 1984. He remained the company"s general manager until he returned to the United Kingdom in 2000 to take up a position on the board of the Royal Opera.
Served to Lieutenant Brit.Signal Corps, 1952-1954. Fellow Royal Scottish Academy Music, Royal Academy Music (honorary). Member American Friends of Sadlers Wells (president 1994), International Association Opera Directors, 1977-1979, Opera American (vice chairman), Garrick.
Married Jane Frances Kearnes, May 19, 1962. Children: William, Lucy, Emma, Rupert, Sophie.