News Makers: Putin Praises Cellist on 80th Birthday

Mar 27, 07:20 PM

Current Headlines: Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday marked cellist Mstislav Rostropovich's 80th birthday with a statement praising both his musical accomplishments and his human rights activism.

"In all your life and creative work you have many times shown the truth that art and morality together supplement each other and constitute a single goal," said Putin. "In all of the world you are known not only as a brilliant cellist and gifted conductor but as a confirmed defender of human rights and freedom of spirit and an uncompromising fighter for the ideals of democracy."

Celebrations of the renowned artist's birthday come amid concern over his health; he was hospitalized in February for an illness that his aides did not specify, but Russian news media has reported that he had been treated in the country's leading cancer hospital.

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