1. Home
  2. Hobbies & Games
  3. Dance

Which famous ballets were composed by Tchaikovsky?

By , About.com Guide

Question: Which famous ballets were composed by Tchaikovsky?

Answer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was one of the greatest Russian composers of all time. He wrote the music for three of the most famous ballets: Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.

  • Swan Lake: First performed in 1877, Swan Lake was Tchaikovsky's first ballet score. The popular classical ballet tells the tale of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse.
  • The Sleeping Beauty: First performed in 1890, The Sleeping Beauty was Tchaikovsky's first successful ballet. The Sleeping Beauty tells the story of the timeless fairy tale based on a deep sleep interrupted by the kiss of a prince.
  • The Nutcracker: First performed in 1892, The Nutcracker was Tchaikovsky's final ballet. The Nutcracker tells the story of a facinating Christmas dream of a young girl named Clara. The Nutcracker has become the most famous ballet of all time.

More Dance Q&A

Explore Dance

About.com Special Features

Holiday Central

What to eat, where to go, fun things to do and how to save money on the perfect gifts. More >

Scrapbook Technique Gallery

Use these ideas to inspire your own uniquely beautiful pages. More >

  1. Home
  2. Hobbies & Games
  3. Dance
  4. Dance Appreciation
  5. Ballet and Tchaikovsky - Ballets Writen by Tchaikovsky

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.