Rostropovich, Mstislav (Leopoldovich) (1927–2007)

Russian cellist, pianist, and conductor. Known as one of the world's greatest cellists of his time, he directed the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, 1977–94.

He studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where he became a professor in 1957, and rapidly acquired a worldwide reputation as a soloist. He was also an accomplished pianist, and often accompanied his wife, the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. They left the USSR in 1974 and he was deprived of his Soviet citizenship in 1978 because of his sympathies with political dissidents, but they returned following the collapse of communism in 1991, taking an active part in politics and humanitarian activities. He made his debut as conductor at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow in 1968, and in London in 1974. Sergey Prokofiev and Dmitry Shostakovich wrote concertos for him, and Benjamin Britten wrote the three suites for solo cello and cello symphony for him. As a conductor he has premiered works by Alfred Schnittke (Life with an Idiot and Gesualdo), and Krzysztof Penderecki (Polish Requiem).