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Article: Mstislav Rostropovich Dead at Age 80
- Article from:
- AP Online
- Article date:
- April 27, 2007
CopyrightCopyright 2007 Associated Press/AP Online. This material is published under license from the publisher through YellowBrix, Alexandria, Virginia. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to YellowBrix. (Hide copyright information)
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MOSCOW - Mstislav Rostropovich, the ebullient master cellist who courageously fought for the rights of Soviet-era dissidents and later triumphantly played Bach suites below the crumbling Berlin Wall, has died. He was 80.
Rostropovich died Friday in a Moscow cancer hospital, the Itar-Tass news agency reported. Rostropovich's spokeswoman, Natalia Dollezhal, confirmed to The Associated Press that he had died but she did not provide other details.
Rostropovich, who resided in Paris after self-imposed exile, suffered from intestinal cancer.
His death follows that of another towering Russian - former President Boris N. Yeltsin, who led the country from Communism to democracy.
"The passing ...