David Hughes (tenor)
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David Hughes (born Geoffrey Paddison; 11 October 1925 – 19 October 1972)[1] was an English pop and opera singer.
The popular tenor
Paddison was born in
After that he studied at the Royal Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
He also co-starred in the musical Scapa Flow at the Adelphi Theatre alongside Pete Murray and Edward Woodward. He participated in the
The opera singer
Shortly after appearing in the musical Seagulls Over Sorrento (1962),[2] and whilst appearing in a summer season show at Torquay, he had his first heart attack.
Whilst recovering he decided to undertake his first love and retrain as an opera singer.[2] This was a major undertaking and meant starting at the bottom.
His first role was as the high priest in
He never forgot his fans of popular music, continuing to do Sunday concerts in theatres all over the UK. His popularity also saw him presenting his show "Make Mine Music" with the Midland Light Orchestra on BBC Radio.
He was on Desert Island Discs twice. On 21 May 1956 as a pop singer https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009y9cq and on 23 November 1970 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009ndjy as a tenor.
On 8 October 1972, he fell ill while singing the part of Pinkerton at the London Coliseum. He collapsed in the wings near the end but managed to complete the character's offstage vocal lines, which complete the opera. He died the following day, from heart failure, at the age of 47.
Namesake
- He chose his father's two Christian names to use as his stage name.[2] His father was David Hughes Paddison.
Discography
Popular songs
- "Santo Natale / Not as a Stranger" (single) (1954) [3]
- "By the Fountains of Rome" (UKNo. 27
- Here in My Heart (compilation)
- The Best of David Hughes (compilation)
- Great British Song Stylist (compilation)
Stage musicals
- Summer Song (1956)
- Plain and Fancy
- Scapa Flow (1962) [4]
- Here in My Heart
Classical music
- 16th–18th Century Songs of Love
- Favourite Opera / Operetta Arias and Songs You Love EMI TWO 319, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Louis Fremaux, recorded in Birmingham Town Hall
- The Merry Widow
References
- ^ ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ Discogs https://www.discogs.com/release/2213467-David-Hughes-Santo-Natale-Not-As-A-Stranger.
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(help) - ^ "Scapa Flow The Musical". Gettyimages.fr. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
From left to right, singer David Hughes (1925 - 1972), playwright Hugh Hastings and DJ Pete Murray rehearse for Britain's first-ever all-male musical, 'Scapa Flow' or 'Scapa!', December 1961. The musical, based on Hastings' play 'Seagulls Over Sorrento', will open at the Royal Court Theatre on 8th February 1962.