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Puccini Festival 2019: Swan Lake

About the Event

Experience classical music like never before in this astonishing performance of masterworks by Tchaikovsky at Torre del Lago's remarkable Gran Teatro all'aperto.

The works of the best‐known Russian composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, are among the most frequently performed throughout the world. He was born in 1840 into the family of a lieutenant colonel and engineer, Ilya Petrovich. Both his parents loved music and could play some instruments. So since the age of five, young Pyotr was given piano lessons. However, his parents decided that it would be better for their son to study jurisprudence to secure him a future career. Back then there were few opportunities for musicians in Russia: the country did not boast any prominent composers and music teachers were considered to occupy a lower rank of society. In 1859 Tchaikovsky graduated from the Imperial School of Jurisprudence and began working as an assistant at the Ministry of Justice. However, he also craved music and simultaneously attended classes at the Russian Music Society, wich was later transformed into the conservatory.

At the age of 21 he decided to quit civil service and work only with music. His father, although disappointed with this decision, supported Pyotr’s initiative. Later on, Tchaikovsky worked as a music teacher in the Moscow Conservatory as well as a journal critic and travelled extensively across Europe. After moving to Moscow, he became well‐known and influential in Russian musical circle and later on in the 1880’s he achieved wordwide recognition. During that period Tchaikovsky composed his best works such as ballets The Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, the opera Eugene Onegin and Piano Concerto N.1. He was very popular in the USA as well and in 1891 he conducted the orchestra at the opening of the Carnegie Hall.

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