March 27, 2017 will mark the 90th anniversary of legendary musician Mstislav Rostropovich, this date will be celebrated not only in Russia, but also in the homeland of the famous conductor and cellist - Baku. The artistic director of the Mstislav Rostropovich International Festival, Olga Rostropovich, told about musical events dedicated to the anniversary.
The 8th Mstislav Rostropovich International Festival dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the musician will start in Moscow on March 27 and will last until 4 April. St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Yuri Temirkanov will perform at the opening ceremony of the festival. The Washington National Symphony Orchestra performing under the direction of music director Christoph Eschenbach will give three concerts from March 29 to March 31.
On April 2, Maxim Vengerov and Polina Ossetinskaya will perform Johannes Brahms' sonatas for violin and piano. 'Yokohama Sinfonietta', the Tokyo Philharmonic Choir, the State Academic Symphony Orchestra 'Evgeny Svetlanov' and the Yurlov Russian State Academic Choir will perform under the leadership of Kazuki Yamada Petite Suite by Claude Debussy, Requiem by Gabriel Fauré and suites №1 and №2 from Maurice Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé ballet.
Three weeks later, Baku will host the 9th Mstislav Rostropovich International Festival, where St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Yuri Temirkanov will give two concerts. The Dresden Staatskapelle and the Chamber Orchestra 'Vienna-Berlin' will also take part in it.
Speaking to the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, Olga Rostropovich stressed that Baku has always been a special place for her father. "My dad loved Baku, because he spent first years of his life there. He always spoke with great sympathy about this city, organized festivals there. Baku was an important place in his life," she said.
Olga Rostropovich will arrive in Baku to attend the 9th Mstislav Rostropovich International Festival. "I often visit Baku and will definitely be there this year on April 27, the day when my father passed away. I like this city, my children like it too. My son recently called and said: "Mom, I want to Baku", so we'll go for sure," the artistic director of the Mstislav Rostropovich International Festival said.
Simultaneously with the opening of the festival in Baku on April 27, the memorable concerts will be held in Versailles and Coventry. Another festival will be held in Orenburg in November. A series of concerts 'Salute to Glory' will last for three months in the US.
