Diaries (January 1890) - Revision history

Brett at 21:14, 18 April 2025

2025-04-18T21:14:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:14, 18 April 2025
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	{{Diarytext		{{Diarytext
	\|Original text=Работал недурно. Письма от Римана, Наты и Шпажинской. После завтрака ходил по дороге к ''Fiesole''. Покупки трубки и табаку для Назара. Работал хорошо. После обеда был, как всегда, в Cafe (Cerretani) и в театре ''Nicollini''. Давали ''Мессалину''. Насилу высидел один акт. Скверно и смешно.		\|Original text=Работал недурно. Письма от Римана, Наты и Шпажинской. После завтрака ходил по дороге к ''Fiesole''. Покупки трубки и табаку для Назара. Работал хорошо. После обеда был, как всегда, в Cafe (Cerretani) и в театре ''Nicollini''. Давали ''Мессалину''. Насилу высидел один акт. Скверно и смешно.
	\|Translated text=Worked not too badly. Letters from Riemann, [[Nata]] and [[Shpazhinskaya]]. Walked along the road to ''Fiesole'' after lunch. Bought pipes and tobacco for [[Nazar]]. Worked well. After dinner, as always, I went to a café (Cerretani) and to the ''Nicollini'' Theatre <ref name="note32"/>. They were giving ''Messalina'' <ref name="note33"/>. Forced myself to sit through one act. Awful and absurd.		\|Translated text=Worked not too badly. Letters from [[Riemann]], [[Nata]] and [[Shpazhinskaya]]. Walked along the road to ''Fiesole'' after lunch. Bought pipes and tobacco for [[Nazar]]. Worked well. After dinner, as always, I went to a café (Cerretani) and to the ''Nicollini'' Theatre <ref name="note32"/>. They were giving ''Messalina'' <ref name="note33"/>. Forced myself to sit through one act. Awful and absurd.
	}}		}}

Brett: /* Friday 26 January/7 February 1890 */

2025-02-08T16:46:23Z

Friday 26 January/7 February 1890

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:46, 8 February 2025
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	{{Diarytext		{{Diarytext
	\|Original text=Работал недурно. Письма от Римана, Наты и Шпажинской. После завтрака ходил по дороге к ''Fiesole''. Покупки трубки и табаку для Назара. Работал хорошо. После обеда был, как всегда, в Cafe (Cerretani) и в театре ''Nicollini''. Давали ''Мессалину''. Насилу высидел один акт. Скверно и смешно.		\|Original text=Работал недурно. Письма от Римана, Наты и Шпажинской. После завтрака ходил по дороге к ''Fiesole''. Покупки трубки и табаку для Назара. Работал хорошо. После обеда был, как всегда, в Cafe (Cerretani) и в театре ''Nicollini''. Давали ''Мессалину''. Насилу высидел один акт. Скверно и смешно.
	\|Translated text=Worked not too badly. Letters from ~~Reimann~~, [[Nata]] and [[Shpazhinskaya]]. Walked along the road to ''Fiesole'' after lunch. Bought pipes and tobacco for [[Nazar]]. Worked well. After dinner, as always, I went to a café (Cerretani) and to the ''Nicollini'' Theatre <ref name="note32"/>. They were giving ''Messalina'' <ref name="note33"/>. Forced myself to sit through one act. Awful and absurd.		\|Translated text=Worked not too badly. Letters from Riemann, [[Nata]] and [[Shpazhinskaya]]. Walked along the road to ''Fiesole'' after lunch. Bought pipes and tobacco for [[Nazar]]. Worked well. After dinner, as always, I went to a café (Cerretani) and to the ''Nicollini'' Theatre <ref name="note32"/>. They were giving ''Messalina'' <ref name="note33"/>. Forced myself to sit through one act. Awful and absurd.
	}}		}}

Brett at 20:14, 27 May 2024

2024-05-27T20:14:40Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:14, 27 May 2024
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	{{Diarytext		{{Diarytext
	\|Original text=Работал недурно. Письма от Римана, Наты и Шпажинской. После завтрака ходил по дороге к ''Fiesole''. Покупки трубки и табаку для Назара. Работал хорошо. После обеда был, как всегда, в Cafe (Cerretani) и в театре ''Nicollini''. Давали ''Мессалину''. Насилу высидел один акт. Скверно и смешно.		\|Original text=Работал недурно. Письма от Римана, Наты и Шпажинской. После завтрака ходил по дороге к ''Fiesole''. Покупки трубки и табаку для Назара. Работал хорошо. После обеда был, как всегда, в Cafe (Cerretani) и в театре ''Nicollini''. Давали ''Мессалину''. Насилу высидел один акт. Скверно и смешно.
	\|Translated text=Worked not too badly. Letters from [[Reimann]], [[Nata]] and [[Shpazhinskaya]]. Walked along the road to ''Fiesole'' after lunch. Bought pipes and tobacco for [[Nazar]]. Worked well. After dinner, as always, I went to a café (Cerretani) and to the ''Nicollini'' Theatre <ref name="note32"/>. They were giving ''Messalina'' <ref name="note33"/>. Forced myself to sit through one act. Awful and absurd.		\|Translated text=Worked not too badly. Letters from Reimann, [[Nata]] and [[Shpazhinskaya]]. Walked along the road to ''Fiesole'' after lunch. Bought pipes and tobacco for [[Nazar]]. Worked well. After dinner, as always, I went to a café (Cerretani) and to the ''Nicollini'' Theatre <ref name="note32"/>. They were giving ''Messalina'' <ref name="note33"/>. Forced myself to sit through one act. Awful and absurd.
	}}		}}

Brett: Created page with "{{Diarybox}} Tchaikovsky's '''Diary No. 10''' covers the period from 1/13 January to 15/27 March 1890, and includes his trip to Florence, where he worked on his opera ''The Queen of Spades'', written to a libretto supplied by his brother Modest. The start of January 1890 found Tchaikovsky in Saint Petersburg for the dress rehearsal of his ballet ''The Sleeping Beauty'' (attended by Tsar Alexander III) on 2/14 January, followed by the..."

2023-12-30T21:32:01Z

Created page with "{{Diarybox}} Tchaikovsky's '''Diary No. 10''' covers the period from 1/13 January to 15/27 March 1890, and includes his trip to Florence, where he worked on his opera ''The Queen of Spades'', written to a libretto supplied by his brother Modest. The start of January 1890 found Tchaikovsky in Saint Petersburg for the dress rehearsal of his ballet ''The Sleeping Beauty'' (attended by Tsar Alexander III) on 2/14 January, followed by the..."

New page

{{Diarybox}}
Tchaikovsky's '''[[Diaries|Diary No. 10]]''' covers the period from 1/13 January to 15/27 March 1890, and includes his trip to [[Florence]], where he worked on his opera ''[[The Queen of Spades]]'', written to a libretto supplied by his brother [[Modest]].

The start of January 1890 found Tchaikovsky in [[Saint Petersburg]] for the dress rehearsal of his ballet ''[[The Sleeping Beauty]]'' (attended by Tsar [[Alexander III]]) on 2/14 January, followed by the first public performance the next day at the Mariinsky Theatre. After then spending a few days in [[Moscow]], where he conducted at a Russian Musical Society concert on 6/18 January, he returned to [[Saint Petersburg]] to attend the 75th performance of ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]'' on 12/24 January, and then left for [[Florence]], where he arrived on 18/30 January, seeking seclusion in order to compose ''[[The Queen of Spades]]''.

==Text and Translation==
The following diary entries were first published in {{bib|1923/23|Дневники П. И. Чайковского (1873-1891)}} (1923), p. 249-253, edited and with notes by the composer's brother [[Ippolit]]. They were also translated into English by Wladimir Lakond in {{bib|1945/34|The Diaries of Tchaikovsky}} (1945), p. 286-290, and into German by Ernst Kuhn and Hans-Joachim Grimm in {{bib|1992/51|P. I. Tschaikowsky. Die Tagebücher}} (1992), p. 317-321.

The new English translation and detailed commentary published here for the first time was prepared by ''Brett Langston''.
-----
=====Monday 1/13 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Встретил Новый год в ресторане у ''Лейнера'' с Модестом, Гитри и ''Angèle''.
|Translated text=Saw in the New Year at ''Leiner's'' restaurant with [[Modest]], [[Guitry]] and ''Angèle'' <ref name="note1"/>.
}}

=====Tuesday 2/14 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Репетиция балета с ''Государем''. «Очень мило»!!!!! Его Величество третировал меня очень свысока. Господь с ним.
|Translated text=Ballet rehearsal with ''the Sovereign'' <ref name="note2"/>. "Very nice"!!!!! His Majesty treated me very condescendingly. The Lord be with him.
}}

=====Wednesday 3/15 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Первое представление балета.
|Translated text=First performance of the ballet.
}}

=====Thursday 4/16 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Отъезд в Москву с Толей и Паней.
|Translated text=Left for [[Moscow]] with [[Tolya]] and [[Panya]].
}}

=====Friday 5/17 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Москва. Прямо на репетицию. Дома умирающая Феклуша. Усложнение всякого рода и недовольство Москвой.
|Translated text=Straight to the rehearsal <ref name="note3"/>. Feklusha dying at home <ref name="note4"/>. All sorts of complications and complaints with [[Moscow]].
}}

=====Saturday 6/18 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Концерт. Я дирижировал Рубинштейну. Лопнула струна. Ужин.
|Translated text=The concert. I conducted [[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]]. A string broke. Supper.
}}

=====Sunday 7/19 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Завтрак у Коншиных. Концерт Рубинштейна. Обед. Бестактность Сафонова.
|Translated text=Lunch with the Konshins <ref name="note5"/>. [[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]]'s concert <ref name="note6"/>. Dinner. [[Safonov]]'s tactlessness.
}}

=====Monday 8/20 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Обед у Коншиных.
|Translated text=Dinner with the Konshins.
}}

=====Tuesday 9/21 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=У Коншиных. С Толей и Володей Коншиным домой. Визит и объяснение Сафонова. Обед у Коншиных. Прощаюсь с Толей и Паней. Татуся. «''Ни за что''» не поеду к Пете и т. д.
|Translated text=At the Konshins'. Home with [[Tolya]] and Volodya Konshin <ref name="note7"/>. [[Safonov]]'s visit and explanation. Dinner with the Konshins. Farewells to [[Tolya]] and [[Panya]]. [[Tatusya]]. Won't go to Petya "''for anything''", etc. <ref name="note8"/>.
}}

=====Wednesday 10/22 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=С Алёшей в Подсолнечной. Спасское и Миловидово.
|Translated text=With [[Alyosha]] to Podsolnechnaya <ref name="note9"/>. Spasskoye and Milovidovo.
}}

=====Thursday 11/23 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Петербург. У Всеволожского. Любезности. В Мих[айловском] театре, к обеду у Кондратьевых.
|Translated text=[[Petersburg]]. With [[Vsevolozhsky]]. Kindness. To the Mikhaylovsky Theatre <ref name="note10"/>, dinner with the [[Nikolay Kondratyev|Kondratyevs]].
}}

=====Friday 12/24 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Вечером в "''Евгении Онегине''". В ложе с Г. П. Кондратьевым. Глазунов. (Завтракали у меня Зилоти и Сапельников.)
|Translated text=In the evening at "''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]''" <ref name="note11"/>. In a box with [[Gennady Kondratyev|G. P. Kondratyev]]. [[Glazunov]]. ([[Ziloti]] and [[Sapelnikov]] had lunch at mine.)
}}

=====Saturday 13/25 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Вечером в Мих[айловском] т[еатре]. "La Boule". Ужин с Погожевым и C{{sup|o}} а также Гитри и Angèle.
|Translated text=Evening at the Mikhaylovsky Theatre. "La Boule" <ref name="note12"/>. Supper with [[Pogozhev]] and Co., as well as [[Guitry]] and Angèle.
}}

=====Sunday 14/26 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Выезд из Петербурга. Тоска в вагоне.
|Translated text=Left [[Petersburg]]. Homesickness on the train.
}}

=====Monday 15/27 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Эйдкунен. Спальный вагон. Тоска. Сонливость.
|Translated text=Eydtkuhnen <ref name="note13"/>. Sleeping compartment. Homesickness. Drowsiness.
}}

=====Tuesday 16/28 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Берлин. ''Hôtel de Rome''. С Назаром по городу. Завтракали вместе. Один гулял. Обедали вместе. В 9 ч[асов] выезд. В спальном вагоне, очень удобно (но содрали).
|Translated text=[[Berlin]]. ''Hôtel de Rome''. Around the city with [[Nazar]] <ref name="note14"/>. Had lunch together. Walked alone. Dinner together. Left at 9 o'clock. Sleeping compartment, very comfortable (but overpriced).
}}

=====Wednesday 17/29 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Мюнхен. В простом вагоне одни. В Куфштейне осмотр маленьких вещей. Завтрак. Гористая дорога. Тоска!!! В 9½ граница (Ala). Ехали всю ночь одни. Спал скверно.
|Translated text= [[Munich]]. A whole carriage to ourselves. At Kufstein, <ref name="note15"/> an inspection of small baggage. Lunch. Mountainous route. Homesickness!!! 9.30 at the border (Ala) <ref name="note16"/>. Travelled by ourselves all night. Slept badly.
}}

=====Thursday 18/30 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Приезд во Флоренцию. Погода сырая, но тёплая. Скверная комната. Осмотрел квартиру при гостинице, нанял и условился. С Назаром в ''S[an] Miniato''. Завтрак у ''Gilli e {{sic|Letto|Letta}}''. Дома. Устраивали. Первый обед. Отдельный столик. Хорошо. Оржевская.
|Translated text=Arrived in [[Florence]]. Weather was damp, but warm. Awful room. Inspected an apartment at the hotel, and negotiated terms to rent it <ref name="note18"/>. With [[Nazar]] to ''San Miniato'' <ref name="note17"/>. Lunch at ''Gilli e {{sic|Letto|Letta}}'' <ref name="note19"/>. Home. Settling in. First lunch. Separate table. Good. Orzhevskaya <ref name="note20"/>.
}}

=====Friday 19/31 January 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Начал работать, и недурно. (Начало украдено у Направника.) День прошёл в порядке. После завтрака шлялся. Подул холодный ветер, но у нас солнце. После обеда пошёл в цирк ''Celebrissimi''. Mariani. Толстяк. Сигары.
|Translated text=Started to work, and not badly. (Stole the beginning from [[Nápravník]] <ref name="note21"/>.) The day went to plan. After lunch I roamed around. Cold wind blowing, but we had the sun. After dinner went to the ''Celebrissimi'' circus. Mariani. Portly man. Cigars.
}}

=====Saturday 20 January/1 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Занимался хорошо. Тоски меньше. Все как следует. Вечером в ''Pagliano''. Толстуха ''Singer'' (Амнерис). Подлец дирижёр. Подлые хоры. Вообще все по провинциальному. После 2-го акта ушёл.
|Translated text=Worked well. Less homesick. Everything went as it should. Evening at the ''Pagliano'' <ref name="note22"/>. The portly ''Singer'' (Amneris) <ref name="note23"/>. Blackguard of a conductor. Wretched choruses. Everything generally so provincial. Left after the 2nd act.
}}

=====Sunday 21 January/2 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Работал утром хорошо, а после завтрака скверно. Гулял ходил в Кашино в самый конец. Обедал вследствие усталости и напряжения в работе ''скверно''. Шлялся по кофейням. Дома письмо. Камин. Беседа с Назаром.
|Translated text=Worked well in the morning, but badly after lunch. Went for a stroll to the Cascino <ref name="note24"/>, and walked to the very end. I dined ''badly'' as a consequence of tiredness and exertion from work. Roamed around the cafés. A letter at home. The fireplace. Discussion with [[Nazar]].
}}

=====Monday 22 January/3 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Все ещё холодная, но ясная погода. Вставши, читал газеты, пил чай с мёдом как водится. Работал хорошо. За завтраком беседа с ''Luidgi'' о короле, папе и т. д. Прогулка по городу, покупки. Смотрели с Назаром из своего окна на катающихся. Работал хорошо. Приходил в некоторый азарт. Отлично обедал (у Оржевской гости и болтунья девочка). С Назаром в ''Arena''. Мой Mariani. Все как обыкновенно. Туда и назад пешком. Чудная, но холодная лунная ночь.
|Translated text= Weather still cold but clear. Rose, read the newspapers, drank tea with honey as usual. Worked well. At lunch, discussion with ''Luidgi'' about the king, the pope, etc. Walked around town, shopping. Watched the passers-by with [[Nazar]] from our window. Worked well. Became a little carried away. Dined splendidly (Orzhevskaya's guests and a chatty little girl). At the ''Arena'' <ref name="note25"/>with [[Nazar]]. My Mariani. Everything as usual. There and back on foot. Wonderful, but cold, moonlit night.
}}

=====Tuesday 23 January/4 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Во время завтрака Оржевская сидела с русской дамой, которая потом подошла ко мне. Оказалась Платонова. Я отнёсся к ней очень сухо. Вечером письма писал. Работалось ничего. Телеграмма к Сапельникову по поводу письма Модеста о его отказе ехать в Париж и ответ. Сердился дважды на Назара.
|Translated text=During lunch, Orzhevskaya was sitting with a Russian lady, who came over to me. It turned out to be Platonova <ref name="note26"/>. I treated her very coldly. Wrote letters in the evening. Work was fine. Telegram to [[Sapelnikov]] concerning [[Modest]]'s letter about his refusal to go to [[Paris]] and a reply <ref name="note27"/>. [[Nazar]] made me angry twice.
}}

=====Wednesday 24 January/5 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Работал с усилием. После обеда был в ''Alfieri''. ''Giro del Моndо'' с ''Stenterello''; глупо и балаганно до нельзя.
|Translated text=Worked with effort. Went to the ''Alfieri'' after dinner <ref name="note28"/>. ''Giro del Моndо'' <ref name="note29"/> with ''Stenterello'' <ref name="note30"/>; utterly stupid and farcical.
}}

=====Thursday 25 January/6 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Работал с усилием (ансамбль). Погода тёплая. Via ''Lungo del Mugnone''. Телеграмма от Модеста, — предлагает приехать.
|Translated text=Worked with effort (the ensemble). Weather warm. Via ''Lungo del Mugnone''. Telegram from [[Modest]] offering to come <ref name="note31"/>.
}}

=====Friday 26 January/7 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Работал недурно. Письма от Римана, Наты и Шпажинской. После завтрака ходил по дороге к ''Fiesole''. Покупки трубки и табаку для Назара. Работал хорошо. После обеда был, как всегда, в Cafe (Cerretani) и в театре ''Nicollini''. Давали ''Мессалину''. Насилу высидел один акт. Скверно и смешно.
|Translated text=Worked not too badly. Letters from [[Reimann]], [[Nata]] and [[Shpazhinskaya]]. Walked along the road to ''Fiesole'' after lunch. Bought pipes and tobacco for [[Nazar]]. Worked well. After dinner, as always, I went to a café (Cerretani) and to the ''Nicollini'' Theatre <ref name="note32"/>. They were giving ''Messalina'' <ref name="note33"/>. Forced myself to sit through one act. Awful and absurd.
}}

=====Saturday 27 January/8 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Трудненько работалось (финал 1-ой картины). После завтрака по поручению Назара ходил искать русскую церковь — насилу нашёл. После обеда был в ''Pagliano'', опять 2 первые действия ''Аиды'' (смешна толстая Зингер с извощичьими нотами). На этот раз инструментовка Аиды местами казалась мне груба до гадости. Как всегда, восхищался началом сцены Аиды и Амнерис.
|Translated text=Work rather difficult (finale of the 1st scene). After lunch, on an errand for [[Nazar]], I went to look for the Russian church, and only just managed to find it. After dinner went to the ''Pagliano'', the first 2 acts of ''Aida'' again (the comically plump Singer with a coachman-like voice). This time Aida's instrumentation seemed to me to be coarse to the point of vulgarity in places. Was as captivated as ever by the beginning of the scene with Aida and Amneris.
}}

=====Sunday 28 January/9 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Празднество открытия памятника ''Manin''. Получил утром письма от ''Лароша'' и ''Юргенсона''. За завтраком видел Венецианских гостей, тоже завтракавших. Ходил в ''Cascino''. Но открытия не было. По возвращении смотрел с Назаром из окна на пешую толпу. Работа. Обед. Сидел в разных кафе. Разговор с Назаром по возвращении домой. Читал Gretry "''Rich[ard] Coeur de lion''". В глубине души страшная скука и ощущение безотрадности.
|Translated text=Celebrations for the opening of the ''Manin'' monument <ref name="note34"/>. Received letters from ''[[Laroche]]'' and ''[[Jurgenson]]'' in the morning. At lunch I saw the Venetian guests from, who were also having lunch. Walked to the ''Cascino''. But there was no unveiling. On returning, watched the crowds passing by the window with [[Nazar]]. Work. Dinner. Sitting in various cafés. Discussion with [[Nazar]] on returning home. Read through Grétry's "''Richard Coeur de Lion''" <ref name="note35"/>. Terrible ennui and feeling of emptiness in the depths of my soul.
}}

=====Monday 29 January/10 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Начал утром 2-ю картину. После завтрака ходил по ту сторону реки влево. ''Собака'', на меня напавшая. У нас в отеле все ещё караул, и народ собирается по случаю Венецианских гостей. Письма от Алёши, Эммы, Моди. Занимался хорошо. Обед. Пьянство в кафе. Fiera и латтереи, в которые мне везло. Дома. Послал Назара на ''Fier'y''. Читал взятые из Дирекции старинные партитуры.
|Translated text=Started on the 2nd scene in the morning. After lunch I walked along the other side of the river to the left. Attacked by a ''dog''. We still have the guards at our hotel, and people are gathering on account of the Venetian guests. Letters from [[Alyosha]], [[Emma]], [[Modya]]. Work went well. Dinner. Binging at a café. Fair and a lottery, where my luck was in. Home. Sent [[Nazar]] off to the ''Fiera''. Read through old scores borrowed from the Directorate.
}}

=====Tuesday 30 January/11 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Письмо П. И. Ю[ргенсона] с известием об А[нтонине] И[вановне] страшно расстроило меня. Весь день был как сумасшедший. Спал скверно. Не работал.
|Translated text=Letter from [[Pyotr Jurgenson|P. I. Jurgenson]] with news about [[Antonina Ivanovna]] upset me terribly <ref name="note36"/>. I was in a frenzy the whole day. Slept badly. Did no work.
}}

=====Wednesday 31 January/12 February 1890=====
{{Diarytext
|Original text=Работалось лучше; вечером перед обедом посетило настоящее вдохновенье. Как всегда, шлялся и пьянствовал. Заходил на ''Fier'y''. Все выигрыши раздавал.
|Translated text=Worked better; true inspiration struck in the evening, before dinner. As always, I roamed around and drank. Stopped off at the ''Fair''. Gave away all the prizes.
}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">The French actor [[Lucien Guitry]] and his actress wife Angèle.</ref>

<ref name="note2">Tsar [[Alexander III]] attended the dress rehearsal for ''[[The Sleeping Beauty]]'' at the Mariinsky Theatre in [[Saint Petersburg]], the day before the official premiere.</ref>

<ref name="note3">A rehearsal for the Sixth Russian Musical Society concert in [[Moscow]] on 6/18 January 1890, at which Tchaikovsky was to conduct [[Anton Rubinstein]]'s ''Konzertstück'' in A-flat major, Op. 113 (1889), with [[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] himself as the soloist.</ref>

<ref name="note4">Fekla Grigoryevna Sofronova, wife of the composer's servant [[Aleksey Sofronov]].</ref>

<ref name="note5">The family of the composer's sister-in-law [[Praskovya]] ("Panya"), the wife of his brother [[Anatoly]] ("Tolya").</ref>

<ref name="note6">A recital by [[Anton Rubinstein]] to raise funds for the establishment of a concert hall named in honour of his late brother [[Nikolay Rubinstein|Nikolay]].</ref>

<ref name="note7">Vladimir Vladimirovich Konshin (b. 1857), older brother of [[Praskovya Tchaikovskaya]].</ref>

<ref name="note8">"Tatusya" was one of the composer's pet names for [[Anatoly]] and [[Praskovya]]'s six-year old daughter, [[Tatyana Tchaikovskaya|Tatyana]]. She called the composer "Uncle Petya".</ref>

<ref name="note9">Podsolnechnaya railway station, not far from [[Klin]].</ref>

<ref name="note10">"Mademoiselle Eve" (1889), by the French writer Sibylle Riqueti de Mirabeau (1849–1932, known by her pseudonym "Gyp") was on the Mikhaylovsky Theatre's programme for this day — see {{bib|1940/107}} (1940), p. 484.</ref>

<ref name="note11">The 75th performance of Tchaikovsky's opera at the Mariinsky Theatre.</ref>

<ref name="note12">''La Boule. Comédie en quatre actes'', by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, first performed 24 November 1874 {{NS}} at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, [[Paris]].</ref>

<ref name="note13">Eydtkuhnen was an important railway junction near the Russian-German border, where passengers were obliged to change between trains using the Russian broad gauge to the narrower standard-gague carriages used on the Prussian Eastern Railway. The town is now known as Chernyshevskoye, in the Kaliningrad oblast of Russia.</ref>

<ref name="note14">While the composer's own servant [[Aleksey Sofronov]] remained at home in [[Frolovskoye]] to care for his seriously ill wife, Tchaikovsky was accompanied on this journey abroad by his brother's servant [[Nazar Litrov]].</ref>

<ref name="note15">Kufstein railway station, on the border between Germany and Austria-Hungary.</ref>

<ref name="note16">Ala railway station, on the border between Austria-Hungary and Italy.</ref>

<ref name="note17">Tchaikovsky and [[Nazar]] were staying in a ground floor apartment at the ''Hotel Washington'' in [[Florence]]. See [[Letter 4009]] to [[Modest Tchaikovsky]], 18/30 January 1890.</ref>

<ref name="note18">The eleventh-century basilica of San Miniato al Monte (St. Minias on the Mountain), overlooking the city of [[Florence]].</ref>

<ref name="note19">''Gilli & Letta'' was a popular restaurant, café and wine-house situated at Piazza della Signoria 3. See K. Baedeker, ''Italy. Handbook for Travellers'', Part 1 (Leipzig, 1892) [https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Italy/UKNIAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=firenza+gilli+letta&pg=PA345] (accessed 2 December 2023).</ref>

<ref name="note20">In [[Letter 4012]] to [[Modest Tchaikovsky]], 23 January/4 February 1890, the composer wrote: "Living next to me here is an old maid Orzhevskaya, and with her a very pretty Russian servant girl, which is pure joy for [[Nazar]]. But it's very unpleasant for me, because I once visited Orzhevskaya and knew her personally in my youth. Of course, she recognised me, and it's very difficut to avoid renewing her acquaintance". Orzhevskaya's full name, and the nature of her earlier relationship with Tchaikovsky, remain unknown.</ref>

<ref name="note21">"[[Napravnik]] did not know from which of his works the beginning of "[[The Queen of Spades]]" could have been stolen" — {{bib|1945/34}}, p. 288.</ref>

<ref name="note22">The Teatro Pagliano, built in 1854 on the Via Ghibellina (renamed in 1901 to become the Teatro [[Verdi]]).</ref>.

<ref name="note23">The mezzo-soprano Theresia (Teresa, or Teresina) Singer (1850–1928) was performing the role of Amneris, daughter of the king of Egypt, in [[Verdi]]'s opera ''Aida''.</ref>

<ref name="note24">The ''Parco delle Cascine'', on the north bank of the Arno river. In his diaries and correspondence, Tchaikovsky habitually referred to it by the name "Cascino".</ref>

<ref name="note25">An outdoor theatre, situated on the Via dei Serragli.</ref>

<ref name="note26">In [[Letter 4012]] to [[Modest Tchaikovsky]], 23 January/4 February 1890, the composer wrote: "a certain Mrs. Platonova, whom I also once knew very well, came up to me and tried to console me in my loneliness. But I treated her very coldly". It is possible that this was the soprano Yuliya Platonova (1841–1892), whom the composer knew from her performances at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg in the early 1870s, and who spurned the composer by turning down a role in the premiere of his opera ''[[The Oprichnik]]''.</ref>

<ref name="note27">In [[Letter 4012]] to [[Modest]] of this date, he wrote: "I received your letter this morning and was incredibly upset about [[Sapelnikov]]" (who had been on a concert tour in [[Paris]]). "I telegraphed him now and have already received an answer. Explain for God's sake why he was not successful?". Neither Tchaikovsky's letter, nor [[Sapelnikov]]'s reply have survived.</ref>

<ref name="note28">The Teatro Alfieri, an important theatre and opera house, built in 1740 at Via dell'Ulivo (now demolished).</ref>

<ref name="note29">Possibly Jules Verne's 1874 theatrical adaptation (made with Adolphe d'Ennery) of his novel ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (Le Tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours, 1872).</ref>

<ref name="note30">The clownish character of Stenterello was a favourite of the Commedia dell'Arte in [[Florence]], and was portrayed over the years by a variety of actors.</ref>

<ref name="note31">Writing to [[Modest]] the next day, Tchaikovsky discouraged his brother from visiting [[Florence]], pleading that: "If I had a surplus of money now, I should simply temper my loneliness in order to give you a chance to visit Italy. But in terms of money, things are still terribly bad" ([[Letter 4013]], 25 January/6 February 1890).</ref>

<ref name="note32">The Teatro Niccolini on Via Ricasoli, founded in 1648.</ref>

<ref name="note33">''Messalina'', a 'drama per musica' in 3 acts by the Italian composer Carlo Pallavicino (c.1630–1688), first performed at the Teatro San Salvatore in [[Venice]] in 1679.</ref>

<ref name="note34">Urbano Nono's statue commemorating the Italian revolutionary Daniele Manin (1804–1857), then situated on the Piazza d'Ognissanti.</ref>

<ref name="note35">Tchaikovsky went on to use the aria 'Je crains de lui parler la nuit', from André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry's opera ''Richard Coeur-de-lion'' (1784), in the Countess's aria from ''[[The Queen of Spades]]'' (Act II, No. 16, bars 212–237).</ref>

<ref name="note36">For more on Tchaikovsky's reaction to this news, see [[Letter 4020]] to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] of this date.</ref>
</references>