On March 27, the birthday of Mstislav Rostropovich, the fifth international festival named after him will be inaugurated in Moscow. Its Artistic Director, President of the Rostropovich Foundation, his daughter Olga Rostropovich, promises to bring the leading orchestras of the UK, France, Germany and Russia to the Russian capital.
And in May, the seventh International Rostropovich Festival opens in the maestro 's hometown, Baku. It is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, the Mstislav Rostropovich Foundation and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Every year a large number of well-known musicians and performers arrive to take part in the Baku festival. Also, viewers can enjoy the performance of Mstislav Rostropovich Foundation scholarship holders. The festival concerts are held on the best stages of the city.
Olga Rostropovich told Vestnik Kavkaza, "The Festival in Baku was actually the first festival of Rostropovich after my father passed away, and it was initiated by the First Lady Mehriban Khanum, in 2007; we wanted to do it in 2007, so that it would be immediately after my father's passing. Traditionally, it was in December, in the second half of December, and starting this year we will hold it in May at the request of Mrs. Aliyeva, because it really is a wonderful time of the year, spring, and we will be able to use outdoor areas, which, of course, we could not do in December. But honestly, I and all my team miss this a lot, because we were so accustomed to ending our year with such a wonderful, absolutely amazing stay in Baku, that now we miss it! But we are now preparing for May, and it will be wonderful: flowers, fruits, beauty, and open areas.
As for the program, Olga Rostropovich said, "Famous bands will perform, like the director Yuri Temirkanov, the Monte Carlo Orchestra. This time I want to involve the Puppet Theatre of the brothers Cola from Italy - my parents loved them very much and often invited them to Moscow, they performed at the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Center. This time I want them to perform in the wonderful UNS Theater directed by Nargiz Pashayev. So it will be very interesting.
