Refused to perform in Russia because of the rudeness of the press: an unknown interview with maestro Rostropovich

The outstanding conductor, cellist, pianist Mstislav Rostropovich practically did not give interviews during his lifetime. There were reasons for this – resentment against the Soviet government, the press was too sharp. But 20 years ago, the maestro nevertheless made an exception and talked to the author of these lines. Rostropovich spoke about the last refuge in Russia – a house on the embankment of St. Petersburg, in which the maestro placed all his paintings, documents and valuables collected around the world during his emigration. However, due to a number of circumstances, the interview was not published. By the 96th anniversary of the birth of Mstislav Rostropovich (his birthday is March 27), MK corrects this omission.

In the early 1990s, the classicist was offended by a scandalous review by the Trud newspaper, in which a music critic reproached the illustrious conductor for “with age, Rostropovich lost his talent and forgot how to conduct.” After that, the maestro vowed not to communicate with the Russian press in the future (only his translated interviews with foreign media were published in Russia) and not to give concerts in Russia. He kept his second promise. Rostropovich did not open the case of his cello until the end of his days. But he broke the first promise – including through my efforts. The way to a man’s heart, as usual, lay through his beloved woman.

This happened during a conversation with Galina Vishnevskaya, at an informal meeting in her house in March 1993. I turned to the great singer with a daring request – to influence Rostropovich’s decision to keep a vow of silence (the owner himself was not at home).

“Pinocchio, well, give him an interview!” – Galina Vishnevskaya begged her husband into the phone, smiling. After a minute, she smiled: “Congratulations! He agreed, tomorrow at noon at the School of Opera Singing, without delay!

A little explanation is required here. Already on his return to his homeland, Rostropovich, one of the highest paid and most respected musicians in the world, had homes in every part of the world. He had houses in France, England, Finland, Switzerland, a large estate in America. At the end of his life, Rostropovich’s main place of residence was Russia, more precisely, a three-story mansion in St. Petersburg with an area of ​​​​over 2 thousand square meters, which stands opposite the Aurora cruiser. And the conversation, of course, revolved around this mansion.

– It has become a tradition for tour guides in St. Petersburg to stop buses in front of your house on the embankment.

– Yes, there are always enough onlookers. We bought this mansion personally with Galina Pavlovna. And we ourselves maintain the house, all 39 former apartments (already all 40 – ed.), in which people lived in inhuman conditions closely, like mice. For a long time, the tenants literally begged: “Resettle us.” We did it. After that, the inhabitants blessed us. Now they are happy. And for the archive, even this house is not enough for me.

What is this archive?

– During my stay in different countries, I had documents that determined my life: paintings, gifts. I needed to collect and store them somewhere. For this, I even bought apartments in Washington and New York. Part of my archive is now in the USA, part in Moscow, part of Switzerland – I am transferring all this to St. Petersburg.

In this house we bring all the wealth that we bought in the West. I brought my portrait by Salvador Dali there. Five paintings by Chagall, presented to Galina and me, a full-length portrait of Emperor Peter I, written in 1692 by an English artist. I strive to bring back to my homeland all the most valuable things that I could acquire in my entire life. both paintings and manuscripts. For example, a stunning diary of the mother of Nicholas II. The Empress Dowager’s diary is priceless, I bought it at auction for over £100,000. With my consent, it has already been published as a separate book by a Russian publishing house. In passing it on as a gift to Russia, I do not ask for anything in return. I only wish that the Russians knew what happened in the history of the country.

– Tell us more about your house on the embankment of St. Petersburg.

– Three floors, plus a small attic that we use as a studio. The first floor of the mansion, occupies our archives, the left side of Galina Pavlovna, the right one is mine. There are very few exhibits on the first floor. The second floor is our living space. I turned the third one into an archive, uniting all the apartments on the floor into one room, I made shelving there where I could put the necessary things, hung out hundreds of photographs of famous people signed to me. It would be nice if people could see it.

– In 1998, you refused to perform in Russia. What was the reason for this decision and do you plan to reconsider it?

– I refused to speak in Russia because of the rudeness and tactlessness of the press. With freedom of speech, not everything is allowed. When writing about an artist, one must choose expressions. At the last speech in Russia in honor of the eightieth birthday of Alexander Isaevich Solzhenitsyn, I decided that this was the last time. The language in which the press allowed itself to speak about me is simply obscene and indecent. I said then that I would never in my life open a case here and take out a cello. This is my full right. I was offended.

Unfortunately, not all of Rostropovich’s plans were destined to come true. So, the musician wanted the doors of this mansion to be open to visitors. However, today it is impossible for the average person to get there.

“All information about the mansion on Kutuzovskaya Embankment is classified personal information,” Galina Vishnevskaya, an employee of the Moscow School of Opera Singing, hastily answered “MK”.