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May 17, 2005

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation developed an album dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the marriage of Mstislav Rostropovich and Galina Vishnevskaya

Heydar Aliyev Foundation has developed album dedicated to the 50th anniversary of marriage of world-famous musician Mstislav Rostropovich and his spouse, popular singer Galina Vishnevskaya. Elegantly published in English the book, which is included in the album, is rich with pictures reflecting life and activities of the Maestro and his spouse.


The first page of the book presents a photograph of Rostropovich and Vishnevskaya accompanied with words ‘Galina Vishnevskaya and Mstislav Rostropovich have lived together for 50 years. They call Vishnevskaya the greatest female character of XX century, while Rostropovich the greatest musician of our time. In this regard, 50-year marriage of them is worth emphasizing. This is likely one of the biggest mysteries of the past century, of this one too. We are not going to look for causes of this successful marriage. We just will try to turn some pages of this 50-year history’.


The book is opened with section titled ‘Galina and Slava’ by Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO. Touching upon various moments of life of the musicians M.Aliyeva emphasizes along the 50-year life music was a sort of inseparable friend to them. There is not and cannot be a general formula of success. But, undoubtedly, this couple invented their own formula allowing them to be as bright as 50 years ago.


Summing up her views Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva notes the musical compositions represented in this project along with photographs allow you to enter the wonderful world of this historical couple. 


The book contains a copy of document reflecting the decision of Presidium of Supreme Soviet of USSR on denaturalization of Mstislav Rostropovich and Galina Vishnevskaya of USSR citizenship, copy of letter from Mstislav Rostropovich to chief editors of Pravda, Izvestiya, Literaturnaya gazeta, Sovetskaya kultura newspapers, copy of letter Galina Vishnevskaya and Mstislav Rostropovich addressed to L.I.Brezhnev. Besides, the book includes copies of letter of congratulations addressed to the musicians in different times from heads of state and famous persons.


The book’s sections such as ‘Childhood’, ‘Galina on the stage’, ‘Maestro’, ‘Our friends’, ‘Slava in Baku’ provide wide information on life and activity of the musicians.


The album includes 8 CDs, 3 DVDs and 1 multimedia CD reflecting creativity of Mstislav Rostropovich and Galina Vishnevskaya.