Acclaimed as the world's greatest living cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich turned 75 last Wednesday. To celebrate the landmark, this programme features the gala concert held on his actual birthday at London's Barbican Centre that honoured his award-winning, international career, which has included commissions by composers such as Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Benjamin Britten and James MacMillan.
Contributors include Sir Colin Davis , Seiji Ozawa ,
Mariss Jansons , Zubin Mehta , Krzysztof Penderecki , Gidon Kremer , Maxim Vengerov , Yuri Bashmet , and Evgeny Kissin. The London Symphony Orchestra is led byGordan Nikolitch.
Before the concert, Stephanie Hughes introduces a profile, filmed at Rostropovich's St Petersburg home, in which the musician and conductor talks about his life.
Directors Dominic Best and David Stevens
Executive producer Frances Whitaker Performance on 3: Rostropovich 's 75th Birthday Gala Concert is on Radio 3 on Easter Monday at 7.30pm