Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

The 8th International Festival of Mstislav Rostropovich opens today at the Moscow State Conservatory.

The festival’s concept is based on the interrelation of the musical cultures of four countries that were of particular importance in the life and activity of the maestro: Russia, the United States, France and Japan.

The festival will run until April 4 and during the event famous collectives and conductors will perform classical works, Trend Life reported.

A memorial plague to Galina Vishnevskaya and Mstislav Rostropovich will be also unveiled in Moscow on March 27.

Born in Baku, Azerbaijan Rostropovich was internationally recognized as a staunch advocate of human rights, and he was awarded the 1974 Award of the International League of Human Rights.

Rostropovich was a huge influence on the younger generation of cellists. Many have openly acknowledged their debt to his example. In the Daily Telegraph, Julian Lloyd Webber called him "probably the greatest cellist of all time."

He inspired and premiered over 100 pieces and formed long-standing artistic partnerships with such prominent composers as iDmitri Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev, Henri Dutilleux, Witold Lutosławski, Olivier Messiaen, Luciano Berio, Krzysztof Penderecki, Alfred Schnittke, Norbert Moret, Andreas Makris and Benjamin Britten.

A five-time Grammy Award winner, he has become one of the West leading conductors.

He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, who was named a People's Artist of the USSR in 1966.They performed together regularly.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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