Mstislav Rostropovich

Born 27 March 1927 in the Soviet Union, Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich became the cellist who changed the repertoire itself. His technique and interpretations built long friendships with composers - Prokofiev, Myaskovsky, Dutilleux, Lutosławski, Messiaen, Berio, Schnittke, Bernstein, Khachaturian - and he inspired over 100 premieres that enlarged what the cello could hold. Beyond music, he became a staunch advocate of human rights, earning the 1974 Award of the International League of Human Rights. Married to soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, father to two daughters, he collected honors including the Polar Music Prize. He died 27 April 2007, having spent eight decades proving that an interpreter could also be an instigator.