Email this Article Printer-friendly

By Matthew Westphal
08 Feb 2007

The cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich is undergoing treatment at Russia's top cancer clinic; visits are restricted and doctors are concerned about his condition.

According to a report in today's edition of Komsomolskaya Pravda, the hospital to which Rostropovich was admitted two days ago is the Blokhin Cancer Center in Moscow, the nation's top oncology clinic. The paper says that, after falling seriously ill in Paris on Monday (February 5), he "refused the services" of physicians there and flew to the Russian capital the following day.

Mstislav Rostropovich

The 79-year-old maestro has undergone "a complex operation,"according to KP, and his doctors are "seriously worried" about his condition. Currently only his closest relations and associates are allowed to visit him; a special exception was made for President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

Employees of the Blokhin Center told KP that Rostropovich is now undergoing what they described as a conservative course of treatment. "We hope to avoid an additional operation," the report quotes unnamed specialists as saying.

The paper adds that Rostropovich was rushed to Moscow's Central Hospital on December 28 for an aggravated ulcer; he was not discharged until January 5.

The Associated Press asked the conductor's Moscow spokesperson, Natalia Dollezhal, about the KP report; she declined to comment.

Keyword: Features/Location: All News Features Writer:

Contact Us | Advertise

Send questions and comments to the Webmaster
Copyright © 2010 Playbill, Inc. All Rights Reserved.