Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, and Swan Lake ⬩ Four steps to the New world

Programme

“The sun was already setting when I had my tea and went for a walk… Deeply moved by the beauty of the forest, the setting sun, and the balmy evening, it occurred to me how such moments make it worthwhile to bear the little vexations with which life is filled… Such moments are enough for us to love life. We are promised the eternal joy of immortal existence, but we do not recognise or understand this. But if we are worthy of such moments and if they are truly eternal, we soon learn to enjoy them. Then one wishes to go on living, so there might be a repeat of moments like what I experienced yesterday. (…) Formerly, music was composed, created; now it is conceived, invented. This purely intellectual process of musical creation is reflected in how contemporary music is clever, piquant, curious, even delightful (…), but at the same time, it is cold, lacking the warmth of inspiration.” (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, 1880)