Rostropovich Hospitalized in Russia

A spokesman for the cellist said Thursday he is undergoing routine treatment. Following his earlier hospitalization in February, Russian news media reported that he was being treated for cancer.

At the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the hospital to confer a medal honoring Rostropovich for his extraordinary achievements in music.

Rostropovich and his wife, soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, left the Soviet Union in 1974 in response to political persecution.

They returned to Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union and are running a charitable organization aiding orphaned children. - VOA News