Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most well-known ballet titles, including The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake. In 1840, he was born in the Russian town of Votkinsk. His family moved to Saint Petersburg when he was young, and he began studying music at the age of 11. By the time he was 20, he was appointed professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. There, he developed a reputation for being one of Russia's best composers. Tchaikovsky died in 1881 at the age of 37 after suffering from tuberculosis. He is considered the father of the modern symphony. Before his time, all classical music was performed by solo artists or small groups. But Tchaikovsky brought together musicians from different countries into one large ensemble - the Symphony Orchestra. He also introduced new elements into classical music such as dramatic tension and suspense through recitals (solo performances) before an audience that included members of the royal court. These events helped spread knowledge of Tchaikovsky's work across Russia, where it was popular with the public. His most famous ballet score is The Nutcracker. It first opened on Christmas Eve 1892 at the Imperial Theatre in Moscow, where it was so successful that it ran for nearly two years.