Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, (1927— ). Russian-born cellist. Rostropovich was taught the cello by his father and studied at the Moscow Conservatoire, where in 1957 he became professor of the cello. He has since performed with acclaim all over the world; Britten and Shostakovich are amongst the composers to have written works especially for him. He also ac-companies his wife, the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, on the piano and is well known as a conductor, particularly of Tchaikovsky. He left Russia in 1975 and now lives in the West.
