Tchaikovsky

The ballet performance titled Tchaikovsky will debut in the Stavros Niarchos Hall at the SNFCC, on 14, 16, 21, 22, and 23 February 2025. Distinguished choreographer Cayetano Soto and Dario Suša stamp their mark on a high-intensity performance about the composer’s inner division, conducted by Philippe Forget.



The dance performance is inspired by the composer’s personal life and thousands of letters published recently, bringing into light his innermost thoughts and feelings. Although we are well aware of the unsurpassable music he composed, it remains largely unknown that the renowned composer did not get to live his life as he had hoped. The composer of The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Eugene Onegin, and “Pathétique” Symphony seems to have been torn between the societal conventions of late-19th-century Russian society and his personal desires, struggling to cope with the societal pressure that dominated his entire life until his tragic death.

With their distinct dance vocabulary, comprising nuanced details, Soto and Suša create a ballet inspired by the priceless archival documents that had been kept for many years at the state Tchaikovsky House-Museum in Klin, northwest of Moscow, where the composer had spent the final years of his life. His collection of over five thousand letters was released in 2009 and 2018 in both Russian and English editions, stirring up a significant global interest.

The musical script accompanying the choreography features famous compositions by Tchaikovsky. These include: Hymn No. 6 from the All-Night Vigil, Op. 52, the amazing Finale of the (“Pathétique”) Symphony No. 6, the masterful Elegy from the Serenade for Strings in C major, Op. 48, the famous Polonaise from Act III of his opera Eugene Onegin, the Canzonetta from the Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, the Scherzo from his Symphony No. 2 (“Little Russian Symphony”), and other pieces. It also features some of the composer’s lesser-known works, as well as pieces that had been banned by the Soviet regime.

The performance will give audiences the chance to discover the real man behind the composer. Through the reading of excerpts from his letters, we will be introduced to his thoughts about music, love, and his relationships, as well as the fears and doubts he harboured about himself. Through narrative choreography presented from an avant-garde perspective, dancers are called upon to handle the piece with exceptional technical aptitude, imagination, and immense sensitivity.

The performances on the 14th and 16th of February will be fully accessible to individuals with sensory impairments.

Duration: approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes
Interval: 20 minutes