Editing Mstislav Rostropovich (section)

==Later life==
 [[File:Rostropovich with BACHBow 1999.jpg|thumb|Rostropovich with [[curved bow|BACH.Bow]] in 1999]]
Rostropovich's health declined in 2006, with the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' reporting rumours of unspecified surgery in Geneva and later treatment for an aggravated ulcer. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Rostropovich to discuss details of a celebration the Kremlin was planning for 27 March 2007, Rostropovich's 80th birthday. Rostropovich attended the celebration but was reportedly in frail health.

Though Rostropovich's last home was in Paris, he maintained residences in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, [[Maida Vale#Notable people|London]], [[Lausanne]], and [[Jordanville, New York]]. He was admitted to a Paris hospital at the end of January 2007, but then decided to fly to Moscow, where he had been receiving care.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mstislav Rostropovich, Cellist and Conductor, Dies|work=The New York Times|author=Allan Kozinn|date=27 April 2007|author-link=Allan Kozinn}}</ref> On 6 February 2007 Rostropovich was admitted to a hospital in Moscow. "He is just feeling unwell", Natalya Dolezhale, Rostropovich's secretary in Moscow, said.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=https://www.intermedia.ru/news/191993|title=Мстислав Ростропович попал в больницу|date=2007-02-07|lang=ru|work=[[InterMedia (agency)|InterMedia]]}}</ref> Asked if there was serious cause for concern about his health, she said: "No, right now there is no cause whatsoever." She refused to specify the nature of his illness. The Kremlin said that Putin had visited him in the hospital, which prompted speculation that he was in serious condition. Dolezhale said the visit was to discuss arrangements for marking Rostropovich's 80th birthday. On 27 March 2007, Putin issued a statement praising Rostropovich.<ref>{{cite news | title=Russian President Marks World-renowned Musician's 80th Birthday | date=27 March 2007 | work=VOA News | url=https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2007-03-27-voa53/347622.html | access-date = 27 March 2015}}</ref>
[[File:Putin and Rostropovich (2007-03-27).jpg|thumb|With [[Vladimir Putin]] on 27 March 2007]]
On 7 April 2007, Rostropovich reentered the Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Centre, where he was treated for [[intestinal cancer]]. He died on 27 April, aged 80.<ref name="BBC" /><ref>{{cite news | title=Russian Conductor, Composer, Cellist Rostropovich Dies | date=27 April 2007 | work=Voice of America News | url=http://voanews.com/english/archive/2007-04/2007-04-27-voa17.cfm | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081119054331/http://voanews.com/english/archive/2007-04/2007-04-27-voa17.cfm | archive-date =19 November 2008| access-date = 8 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/russian%20cellist%20rostropovich%20seriously%20ill_1028951 | title=Russian cellist Rostropovish 'seriously ill' | magazine=Contactmusic | access-date=30 April 2007 | archive-date=31 October 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031085638/http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/russian%20cellist%20rostropovich%20seriously%20ill_1028951 | url-status=dead }}</ref> On 28 April, Rostropovich's body lay in an open casket at the [[Moscow Conservatory]],<ref>{{cite news | title=Russian Musician Rostropovich Honored Before Burial | date=28 April 2007 | url =http://voanews.com/english/archive/2007-04/2007-04-28-voa29.cfm | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081119062658/http://voanews.com/english/archive/2007-04/2007-04-28-voa29.cfm | archive-date =2008-11-19 | work =VOA News | access-date = 8 July 2013 }}</ref> and was then moved to the [[Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Moscow)|Church of Christ the Saviour]]. Thousands of mourners, including Putin, bade farewell. Spain's [[Queen Sofia]], French first lady [[Bernadette Chirac]] and President [[Ilham Aliyev]] of Azerbaijan, where Rostropovich was born, as well as [[Naina Yeltsina]], Yeltsin's widow, were among those who attended the funeral on 29 April. Rostropovich was buried in [[Novodevichy Cemetery]].<ref name="BBC, 29 April">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6604875.stm | title=Russian farewell to Rostropovich | work=BBC News | date=29 April 2007 | access-date=2007-04-30}}</ref>