A Russian composer known for his colorful and romantic music, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is the creator of the magical sounds of "The Nutcracker." Born the son of a mine inspector and a half-French mother on May 7, 1840, Tchaikovsky is known to have dabbled in composition from the age of 14. But it was not until 1862 when he enrolled in the St. Petersburg Conservatory that he would devote his life entirely to music.

It was there that Tchaikovsky would produce his first overture. Throughout the 1870's he enjoyed moderate success with the Second and Third Symphonies, operas "The Oprichnik" and "Vakula the Smith" and with the ballet "Swan Lake."

However, 1877 marked a dramatic turn in his life, both for the good and the bad. Tchaikovsky married a 28-year-old ex-student to quiet the rumors of his being a homosexual. He also began a strange, platonic relationship with the wealthy widow Nadezhda von Meck, who would support him financially but wished to never meet him. His marriage proved catastrophic - leading Tchaikovsky to attempt suicide and flee his wife several months later.

He resumed his successful career in the 1880's, composing the "1812 Overture," the "Hamlet Overture-Fantasia," "Symphony No. 5 in E Minor," and the composition sketch to "The Sleeping Beauty," among others. By 1890, he had completed one of his most successful operas, "The Queen of Spades," and made his first and only trip to the United States. After his return, he lent his melodic gifts to the ballet "The Nutcracker," which surprisingly enjoyed little success during his lifetime.

The man who made such an indelible mark on music passed away on November 6, 1893, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

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