How important is religion to
you?
"I'm very religious. I'm Russian Orthodox.
Faith has always influenced me, via my
parents or friends who have passed away."
Talking about late friends, you were
very close to composers Benjamin Britten,
Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich.
Tell us about them.
"Those three knew they were talented, but
in human relationships it's important to
forget about being a genius. I had a
fantastic time with them: we laughed, played
tricks on each other and drank together. When
they passed away it was a great loss to me
and only my belief in God allowed me to
continue living.
"They are still my idols and when I
conduct, especially compositions they
dedicated to me, I feel in contact with them.
I think sound is the greatest gift that God
gave us - it has some mysterious link between
our world and the spiritual one."
Another special person for you and
Galina is Solzhenitsyn, who you defended in
your Open Letter in 1970 and who lived at
your dacha for many years.
"All I can say is that since first meeting
him, I admire him and love him and that will
never change."
You once received a very special
present from King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia
of Spain which Solzhenitsyn also enjoyed.
Tell us about that.
"My wife and I have known Sofia since she
was very young when we were performing in her
native Greece and became friends. When we
left for a tour of the West, my Open Letter
had just become published and read worldwide.
It was a difficult period and I didn't know
whether I would be arrested or killed when I
returned home. I performed in France, Germany
and then in Spain where I was invited by
Sofia, her sister Irina and Juan Carlos. At
that time Franco was alive and there was no
monarchy. Irina said: 'Slava, you are having
so many problems I'll give my cross to
protect you,' - I always wear it. Then
Juanito, as I called him then, and Sofia
said: We'd like to cheer you up, let's go to,
Toledo and see the Greco paintings.' We had a
wonderful time and I was so happy when I
heard an organ being played. Later, in Paris
I received a huge box: Sofia and Juanito had
bought that organ and sent it as a gift. I
took it to my dacha - it's the only
instrument Solzhenitsyn enjoyed playing."
You and your wife have set up a charity
in your homeland. What are its aims?
"The main focus of the
Vishnevskaya-Rostropovich Foundation is to
help sick youngsters. We support children's
hospitals and are especially concerned with
vaccination and equipment. We are trying to
collect as much funding as possible from our
friends worldwide."
You've been with Galina for 45 years:
do you believe love lasts forever?
"Love is like the sea, it has waves, it
has different ingredients. I always go on my
knees in front of Galina: I still love her
like a young boy, but also like a grown man
with an enormous gratitude for sharing all
her life with me."
Galina, what can you tell us about life
with Slava?
"He's wildly energetic and I don't think I
will ever stop being astonished by him:
there's s not a moment of boredom. As for our
marriage, I think the most valuable element
in a relationship is to be able to live
together for so long. Passion, it passes:
it's important at the beginning but after
many years it becomes devotion, faith for one
another and trust. Without faith and trust a
marriage will die.
Has it been tough combining your own
successful career as an opera singer with
helping Slava and raising a family?
"I was always with my children when they
were growing up. My career was very important
to me but my daughters Olga and Elena were
always within my sight and feelings."
Are your daughters involved in
music?
"Most musicians want their children to
follow their path but in most cases it's a
mistake. Even if talented. Those children
grow up in their parents' shadow. As for our
girls they are professional musicians who
graduated from the Central School at the
Moscow Conservatory and the Juilliard School
in New York. Elena is a pianist and Olga a
cellist. I am very glad that they had this
education because they understand music.
Elena played with her father a lot but Olga,
as a cellist, found that being called
Rostropovich was an obstacle. She's very
talented but very sensitive, she wasn't ready
to fight as she was too young. She married a
Frenchman and has two children; Elena married
an Italian and has four."
Finally how do you feel about being
back in St Petersburg?
"I was born here, this is my city. When I
arrive back in St Petersburg and enter my
apartment, I think ... this is my life."
INTERVIEWS: GAETANA ENDERS
PHOTOS: SVEN ARNSTEIN
HELLO! Has made a donation to Slava and
Galina's children's charity, the
Vishnevskaya-Rostropovich Foundation, on
their behalf.
© HELLO!
Reprinted on the Internet with permission
from
HELLO! Magazine.
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