(20 May 1997) Russian/Nat
World renowned musician Mstislav Rostropovich was honoured at a concert Tuesday to celebrate his 70th birthday in Moscow.
Russian-born Rostropovich became the first recipient of the newly established Slava Award.
The prize organizers, the Association of the Russian Performers School, hope the award which means Glory will soon be considered as prestigious as the Nobel Prize.
The Moscow conservatory played host to a very special birthday celebration Tuesday - a gala concert in honour of Mstislav Rostropovich, who turned 70 this year.
As one of the world's premier cellist players, Rostropovich won huge acclaim in the West after he fled the Soviet Union in the 1970's to live in Paris.
He's received numerous awards and honorary degrees from 25 countries but despite being a national hero he's never received an award from Russia. - until now that is.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"He (Rostropovich) was born before his time for 10, maybe 100 years. And he determined the whole path of a development for the art. He is like the sun to us"
SUPER CAPTION: Victoria Ganchikova, viola player
This evening he became the first recipient of the Slava prize, which was established this year by the Association of the Russian Performers School.
Slava means glory in Russian, but by happy coincidence it is also an abbreviation of Mstislav.
It is a particular honour for Rostropovich, who was stripped of his Soviet citizenship when he went into exile, to receive this particularly Russian award.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"I feel extremely happy because this is my first ever award from Russia. And I am proud of the fact that I became the first recipient of this prize."
SUPER CAPTION: Mstislav Rostropovich, cellist and conductor
Rostropovich is due to meet with President Yeltsin in the Kremlin on Wednesday.
The following day he will perform at a gala concert in the newly rebuilt Christ the Saviour Cathedral.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
