Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

Russian capital Moscow will host the 10th International Mstislav Rostropovich Festival from March 27 to April 3.

The festival's opening ceremony will take place in the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatoire, Trend Life reported.

Concerts as part of the festival will be also held in Zaryadye Concert Hall and Tchaikovsky Concert Hall.

The International Mstislav Rostropovich Festival was established by the Foundation of Cultural and Humanitarian programs named after him in memory of the legendary cellist, conductor, whose creative and social activities had no boundaries.

Born in Baku, Mstislav 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 asDmitri 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.

---

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz