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Ms. Fleming died peacefully in a hospital on Tuesday, her family said.

Born to flamboyant London hostess Eva Fleming and noted painter Augustus John, Ms. Fleming was the half sister of James Bond creator Ian Fleming.

Having begun playing cello at an early age, Ms. Fleming won a spot at the Royal College of Music in 1943. She established herself throughout the 1950s, winning the prestigious Queen's Prize in 1952, making her debut the following year at the Proms -- the annual classical music series at London's Royal Albert Hall -- and playing with notable musicians throughout Europe.

Despite her success, Ms. Fleming never became complacent. She sought out the best teachers in Europe and willingly experimented with many techniques, including practicing naked in front of the mirror, The Times reported.

Ms. Fleming eventually chose to concentrate on chamber music and later became a charismatic and beloved professor of cello at the Royal College of Music.

In 1970, she stood in for Bette Davis in a film called "Connecting Rooms," in which the Hollywood star played a cellist.

By then, Ms. Fleming's beauty had become almost as legendary as her playing. The Daily Telegraph said friends often remarked: "Men fell in heaps around her."

Her playing career ended in 1993 when she had a stroke, but she continued to teach and remained a formidable presence in the lives of young cellists and her colleagues.

Ms. Fleming never married.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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