Anton Rubinstein

Among the most renowned pianists of the nineteenth century, Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein was born in Podolia (now in Moldova) and debuted as a prodigy in Moscow at age ten. He went on to tour several important European cities afterward, gathering fame for his performances and compositions and eventually settling in St. Petersburg in 1848. His first opera, Dmitry Donskoy, premiered in 1852, and by the end of the decade, he had attracted the patronage of Yelena Pavlovna, Grand Duchess of Russia. In 1862, under the auspices of the duchess, Rubinstein established the St. Petersburg Conservatory, serving as its director until 1867 and again from 1887 to 1891. Rubinstein’s contribution to music was prolific, including dozens of large-scale compositions alongside his work as an educator and performer.