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Rostropovich, Mstislav Leopoldovich 1927-
Russian cellist and conductor

Born in Baku, he was awarded the Lenin prize in 1964, and left the USSR in 1974 with his wife, soprano Galina Vishnevskaya (1926- ). He was musical director of the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington (1977-94), and joint artistic director of the Aldeburgh Festival in England. He was deprived of Soviet citizenship in 1978, although it was restored in 1990. Benjamin Britten was a close friend and wrote several cello works for him. He became an honorary KBE in 1987.