Alexander Borodin

Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin was a Romantic composer, chemist, and a doctor. He made significant contributions to organic chemistry and was known for his symphonies, string quartets, and opera 'Prince Igor'. As an advocate for education, he founded the School of Medicine for Women in Saint Petersburg. Born to a Georgian nobleman and a Russian woman, he was declared a serf under his father's serf, taking on the surname Borodin. After his emancipation, he studied medicine and chemistry, but despite his scientific career, he cultivated his musical talent, learning composition in his spare time and suffering from poor health until his sudden death during a ball at the academy.