The Tragic Story Of The Man Who Composed The Nutcracker

Publish date: 2024-05-04

Tchaikovsky also wrote the music for The Sleeping Beauty (1889) and Swan Lake (1876), and many others, plus the "1812 Overture." Throughout all this, he was funded by his long-time patron, Nadezhda von Meck.

Despite his popularity and breadth of work, Tchaikovsky did not have a happy personal life. Living in 1800s Russia meant he had to hold a part of himself back. Tchaikovsky, many historians agree, was gay. The Guardian reported Tchaikovsky wrote letters to his friends talking about men he loved and had sought relations with. The letters were censored for years; the Russian government at that time fearful of the public's reaction if they learned that one of the country's greatest composers was gay. Tchaikovsky's sexuality had been a great debate among his fans, critics, and historians.

In 1877, Tchaikovsky married a music student named Antonina Miliukova, perhaps in an attempt to hide his homosexuality. The marriage was a disaster from the beginning. He left his new wife after two months. Tchaikovsky almost suffered a nervous breakdown during the marriage, and had tried to commit suicide.

For the rest of his life, Tchaikovsky lived as a bachelor. He continued composing music and traveled extensively. Tchaikovsky died on November 6, 1893, of cholera from unboiled water in a restaurant, wrote Tchaikovsky Research, although there is also speculation that he committed suicide. It was clear that his death was unexpected. Tchaikovsky, who created one of the most beloved Christmas ballets ever, died a day after he premiered his Symphony No. 6. He was 53 years old.

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