Tchaikovsky

Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) is considered Russia’s foremost musician and one of the country’s most important figures. Many of his compositions, such as The Nutcracker, the Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major and the String Quartet No. 3 in E flat minor remain very popular.

On 1 June 1877, he met his future wife, Antonina Miliukova, and a few days later they were engaged. The composer detested loneliness but had to hide his homosexuality because of social conventions.

Despite his successful career, Tchaikovsky suffered several personal crises and periods of depression, due to the death of his mother from cholera at the age of 14, his fear that his homosexuality would become known, and his disastrous marriage. He died at the age of 53 of cholera, although there are theories about a possible suicide.