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Russian farewell to Rostropovich Russian farewell to Rostropovich
(about 2 hours later)
The funeral of the celebrated Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich has been held in Moscow.The funeral of the celebrated Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich has been held in Moscow.
The ceremony took place in the same grand cathedral which earlier this week staged the funeral for the former Russian President, Boris Yeltsin.The ceremony took place in the same grand cathedral which earlier this week staged the funeral for the former Russian President, Boris Yeltsin.
Mr Rostropovich's widow, celebrated opera singer Galina Vishnevskaya, was joined, among other dignitaries, by Mr Yeltsin's widow Naina. The cellist was then buried alongside some of Russia's best-known cultural and political figures in the Novodevichye cemetery.
Mr Rostropovich died on Friday aged 80 after a long illness.Mr Rostropovich died on Friday aged 80 after a long illness.
He was renowned not only as a legendary figure on the international musical stage, but was also admired for his defiance of Soviet repression.He was renowned not only as a legendary figure on the international musical stage, but was also admired for his defiance of Soviet repression.
Russians loved him for it, and there were emotional scenes on Saturday as thousands of mourners - many of them young musicians - paid their respects. Russians loved him for it, and there were emotional scenes as thousands of mourners - many of them young musicians - paid their respects.
Mr Rostropovich lay in an open coffin at the famous Moscow Conservatory where he once studied as a teenager, but was moved to the Church of Christ Saviour, where farewells continued overnight. 'World's greatest'
At the funeral, sombre mourners lit candles and laid flowers near the open casket, where the musician's body lay covered with a white cloth embroidered with a cross. On Saturday, Mr Rostropovich lay in an open coffin at the famous Moscow Conservatory where he once studied as a teenager.
The wife of dissident writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Spain's Queen Sofia, French first lady Bernadette Chirac and President Ilham Aliev of Azerbaijan, where Mr Rostropovich was born, were among those in attendance.
He will be buried in the Novodevichye cemetery later in the day.
The remains of his former teachers, Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev, lie in the same cemetery.
Mr Yeltsin, whom he counted as a personal friend, was buried there on Wednesday.
'Irreplaceable'
In the great hall of the Conservatory, under portraits of Tchaikovsky and Mozart, an orchestra played in his honour as mourners filed past his coffin strewn with flowers.
Ms Vishnevskaya, sat by the coffin with her head bowed, surrounded by relatives and friends of the cellist.
Among the visitors was the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, who described Mr Rostropovich as irreplaceable.Among the visitors was the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, who described Mr Rostropovich as irreplaceable.
Mr Rostropovich studied at the Conservatory under composers such as Prokofiev and Shostakovich, rapidly building a reputation for himself. He was moved to the Church of Christ Saviour, where farewells continued overnight.
At the funeral, sombre mourners lit candles and laid flowers near the open casket, where the musician's body lay covered with a white cloth embroidered with a cross.
Archbishop Alexy, who led prayers, read out a letter from Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II describing Mr Rostropovich as a "tireless activist, defender of human dignity, spiritual freedom and love for the Motherland".
The patriarch added that the maestro had initiated a charity concert to raise money to rebuild the cathedral, Russia's largest.
Mr Rostropovich's widow, celebrated opera singer Galina Vishnevskaya, was joined, among other dignitaries, by Mr Yeltsin's widow Naina.
The wife of writer and former dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Spain's Queen Sofia, French first lady Bernadette Chirac and President Ilham Aliev of Azerbaijan, where Mr Rostropovich was born, were among those in attendance.
Applause
After the ceremony, the coffin was driven for burial to the elite Novodevichye cemetery, where the remains of his former teachers, Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev, also lie.
About 2,000 people applauded as Mr Rostropovich was finally laid to rest.
Mr Yeltsin, whom Mr Rostropovich counted as a personal friend, was buried there on Wednesday.
Mr Rostropovich was considered by many to be the world's greatest cellist.
But his support for dissidents such as Mr Solzhenitsyn - declared in a letter to state-run newspaper Pravda in 1970 - made him a target for the Russian authorities.But his support for dissidents such as Mr Solzhenitsyn - declared in a letter to state-run newspaper Pravda in 1970 - made him a target for the Russian authorities.
He left the Soviet Union and spent several years in the West with Ms Vishnevskaya and their children as he continued to build an international career.He left the Soviet Union and spent several years in the West with Ms Vishnevskaya and their children as he continued to build an international career.
Later the cellist was rehabilitated by then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and he was able to return to Russia to perform.Later the cellist was rehabilitated by then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and he was able to return to Russia to perform.