The festival, held for the first time, opened on the birthday of Mstislav Rostropovich (1927–2007) with a concert in the Hall of Columns at the House of Unions, and was attended by the First Lady.
Before the concert, Svetlana Medvedeva looked at a photo exhibition depicting life and work of the great musician. The exhibition features some rare photographs of Rostropovich from his childhood, snapshots with his family, during his studies, at rehearsals, and during concerts. Rostropovich’s widow, Galina Vishnevskaya, guided the First Lady through the exhibition.
The Rostropovich Week in Moscow will end on April 2. Participants in the festival include musicians from Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy, the United States, Switzerland, Australia, and other countries.