Shostakovich, Dmitri

Dmitri Shostakovich was born in Saint Petersburg in 1906 and died in Moscow in 1975. Dmitri Shostakovich was a Russian composer and pianist of the Soviet era. Shostakovich achieved fame early on in the Soviet Union, but had a complex relationship with its government. His 1934 opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District was initially a success, but was later condemned by the Soviet government, which jeopardized his career. In 1948, his work was denounced under the Zhdanov doctrine, which led to professional consequences for several years. His orchestral works include 15 symphonies and six concertos. His independent, expressive, and imaginative musical legacy lives on.