Transitions — Mstislav Rostropovich
 

The Russian musician and human rights activist Mstislav Rostropovich has died. He was 80 years old.

Mr. Rostropovich was not only known internationally as a musician, but also for his backing for human rights and opposition to Soviet rule. He spent many years away from the USSR, in exile over his support for writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn

I had the good fortune to see him perform once with the BSO.

He will be buried in the same cemetery where his friend Boris Yeltsin was laid to rest earlier this week.