Composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky died in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1893

One of the most popular of the Romantic composers, Tchaikovsky is known for the emotional quality of his compositions. Among his best-known works are the 1812 Overture, the ballet Swan Lake and the opera Queen of Spades. Ironically, he was only reluctantly persuaded to write what is perhaps his most famous work, the Nutcracker Suite, written for a ballet that is now a holiday classic. Tchaikovsky studied law before beginning his studies as a composer in St. Petersburg in the 1860s. He was supported for a number of years by a wealthy widow, Nadejda von Meck, who agreed to be his patron as long as they never met in person. For fourteen years the two exchanged letters, seeing each other in person only once by accident at a concert. They did not speak. Thanks to von Meck's support, Tchaikovsky was able to devote his time to composing music. Von Meck withdrew her support in 1890 for financial reasons. In 1891, Tchaikovsky traveled to America for the opening of Carnegie Hall. He died in St. Petersburg on this day in 1893, reportedly from cholera, although some scholars theorize that Tchaikovsky intentionally drank contaminated water or was poisoned. Today, Tchaikovsky remains one of the most performed of the late 19th century composers.

ARTSEDGE
Telling a Story through Dance (K–4) introduces students to the concept of emotionally and physically telling a story using dance and pantomime. Students learn that in ballet, the dancer is trained to portray story and character with movements instead of words. Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" serves as the foundation for the activities in this lesson.