Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich was a Russian cellist and conductor, born March 27, 1927, in Baku USSR. He is considered one of the greatest cellists ever. First concerts Rostropovich gave his first cello concert in 1942. From 1943 to 1948, he studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where he became professor of cello in 1956. ...show more

Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich was a Russian cellist and conductor, born March 27, 1927, in Baku USSR. He is considered one of the greatest cellists ever. First concerts Rostropovich gave his first cello concert in 1942. From 1943 to 1948, he studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where he became professor of cello in 1956.

He won first prize at the international Music Awards of Prague and Budapest in 1947, 1949 and 1950. In 1950, at the age of 23 he was awarded the Stalin Prize, then considered the highest distinction in the Soviet Union. At that time, Rostropovich was already well known in his country and while actively pursuing his solo career, he taught at the Leningrad Conservatory (now Saint-Petersburg) and the Moscow Conservatory. In 1955, he married Galina Vishnevskaya, soprano at the Bolshoi Theatre.

His international career started in 1964 in the then West Germany. As of this date, he went on several tours in the western Europe and met several composers, including Benjamin Britten. In 1967, he conducted Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin at the Bolshoi, thus letting forth his passion for both the role of conductor and the opera. Exile Rostropovich fought for art without borders, freedom of speech and democratic values, resulting in a reprimand from the Soviet regime. ...show less