Russian composer and pianist Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin has died at the age of 92. The announcement was made by the Bolshoi Theatre, which described him as “one of the greatest contemporary geniuses” and lamented his death as “an irreparable loss for the artistic world.”
A singular voice in Russian music
Born in Moscow on December 16, 1932, Shchedrin studied at the Moscow Conservatory and went on to become one of the leading composers of the late Soviet and post-Soviet era. Over a career spanning more than seven decades, he created more than 80 works, including ballets, operas, symphonies, concertos, and chamber music.
His breakthrough came with the Carmen Suite (1967), a bold reimagining of Bizet’s opera, written for the legendary ballerina Maya Plisetskaya, his wife and muse. Other ballets, often inspired by Russian literature, include The Little Humpbacked Horse, Anna Karenina (after Tolstoy), and The Seagull (after Chekhov).
In opera, his most controversial work was Lolita (1994), based on Vladimir Nabokov’s novel, premiered in Stockholm. Shchedrin also composed six symphonies, several piano concertos, and choral works, with performances across Europe, the United States, and Asia.
Between tradition and innovation
Shchedrin inherited the symphonic weight and satirical bite of Shostakovich and the theatrical flair of Prokofiev, but filtered them through his own language. His music is marked by rhythmic vitality, sharp contrasts, and an often playful sense of irony, while maintaining lyrical and folk-inspired elements. He also experimented with timbre and instrumentation — as in Carmen Suite, scored for strings and an extensive percussion ensemble — achieving textures that were both modern and accessible.
This blend allowed him to remain firmly rooted in the Russian tradition while cultivating a personal voice that spoke to audiences worldwide.
Life and recognition
Married to Plisetskaya from 1958 until her death in 2015, Shchedrin was long associated with the Bolshoi, which staged many of his ballets. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including the USSR State Prize (1972), the Lenin Prize (1984), and the State Prize of the Russian Federation (1992).
In addition to his Russian nationality, he held Spanish and Lithuanian citizenship, reflecting his international life and career.
Farewell
The Bolshoi has announced that the public will be able to pay their respects to Shchedrin at the theatre in the coming days. “His invaluable artistic legacy continues to resonate in the hearts of audiences,” the theatre said in its statement.
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