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Donald Macleod explores the rich vein of fairy tale and fantasy in Tchaikovsky's music. Today, enchanted sleep and a brush with the supernatural.

No-one likes a cast-off, and Tchaikovsky was no exception. At first that extended even to the libretto his beloved brother Modest had written for the now almost completely forgotten composer Nikolay Klenovsky, based on Pushkin's short story The Queen of Spades. The collaboration was aborted and the libretto became available. Initially Tchaikovsky was dismissive, but he came round to the idea and set to work with gusto. The story concerns a gambling-addicted army officer, Hermann, who's in love with Lisa. Lisa's guardian, an old countess, is reputedly in possession of a failsafe formula for winning at cards, but when Hermann tries to force it out of her she dies of fright. The Queen of Spades wasn't an ace in the hole at its first performance in December 1890, but critical hostility quickly receded, and it's retained a firm place in the repertoire ever since. The same is true of the ballet Tchaikovsky completed immediately beforehand - The Sleeping Beauty. Tsar Alexander II achieved almost British levels of understatement when, after attending a special dress rehearsal of the complete ballet, he gave his considered opinion: 'very nice'.

The Sleeping Beauty, Op 66; Act 3 No 22, Polacca
Russian National Orchestra
Mikhail Pletnev, conductor

The Queen of Spades, Op 68 - Act 3 scene 1
Misha Didyk, tenor (Herman)
Larissa Diadkova, mezzo soprano (Ghost of the Countess)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
Mariss Jansons, conductor

The Sleeping Beauty, Op 66; Act 1
Russian National Orchestra
Mikhail Pletnev, conductor.