Letter 254

Date	4/16 February 1872
Addressed to	Ivan Klimenko
Where written	Moscow
Language	Russian
Autograph Location	unknown
Publication	Мои воспоминания о Петре Ильиче Чайковском (1908), p. 64 П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том V (1959), p. 275 П. И. Чайковский. Забытое и новое (1995), p. 86
Notes	Manuscript copy in Klin (Russia): Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve Written in the form of a humorous poem: We Don't Have Tickets to the Theatre (TH 379)

Text and Translation

Based on a handwritten copy in the Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve at Klin, which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter.

Russian text (original)

English translation By Brett Langston

В театр билеты нам не взяты, И очень просто, почему; Там «Лес» дают. Зачем, о браты, В лесу бродить нам — не пойму? У нас сегодня будет вечер. Туда, поверь, я устремлюсь, Как тянется к Шекспиру Кетчер Или к Индии Святая Русы! Приди ж и ты туда, Климена, Я жду тебя к 8-ми часам, И если — да (подла измена!) Свой долг я весь тебе отдам. П. Ч.

We don't have tickets to the theatre, And it's very simple why; "The Forest" is on there. Why, oh brothers, Shouldn't we wander in the forest? We'll be in for an evening tonight Believe me, I'll be rushing there, As Ketcher is drawn to Shakespeare Or India to Holy Rus! Come there as well Klimena I'll wait for you at 8, And if you do (shock horror!) I'll repay all my debt to you. P. T.