Member-only story
Magic Romance
*
“Every time I look at Galya, I marry her all over again.”
They became husband and wife just four days after meeting and lived a long and happy life, deeply devoted to one another…
The rising star of the Bolshoi Theatre and the young cellist were among the guests at a reception for a foreign delegation. Mstislav Leopoldovich later recalled: “I looked up, and a goddess was descending the stairs toward me… I was so struck that I lost my speech. And at that very moment, I decided — this woman would be mine.”
When Vishnevskaya was about to leave, Rostropovich insistently offered to walk her out.
“Just so you know, I’m married!” Vishnevskaya warned him.
“Just so you know, we’ll see about that!” he replied.
“He came into my room, sat at the piano…” Vishnevskaya recalled. ”‘How unfortunate — I have a concert out of town and won’t hear you in Eugene Onegin tonight — I imagine you must be a wonderful Tatyana…’” And then — suddenly! — he jumped up from the piano and fell to his knees. I was taken aback. Should I turn it into a joke? But he continued:
“Forgive me, but ever since our first meeting in Moscow, I noticed you have very beautiful legs, and I’ve wanted to kiss them.”
