Tchaikovsky
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Elizaveta Tchaikovskaia

Stepmother of the composer (b. 1829; d. 1910), born Elizaveta Mikhailovna Lipport (Елизавета Михайловна Липпорт, Elizaveta Mihailovna Lipport, Yelizaveta Mikhailovna Lipport); known after her first marriage as Elizaveta Mikhailovna Aleksandrova (Елизавета Михайловна Александрова, Elizaveta Mihailovna Aleksandrova, Yelizaveta Mikhailovna Alexandrova); and after her second marriage as Elizaveta Mikhailovna Tchaikovskaia (Елизавета Михайловна Чайковская, Elizaveta Mihailovna Čajkovskaja, Yelizaveta Mikhailovna Tchaikovskaya).

In 1863, Elizaveta, who had by then lost her first husband, became acquainted with the Tchaikovsky family in Saint Petersburg, and two years later, she became the third wife of the composer's father, Il'ia Tchaikovsky (1795–1880). As the composer's brother Modest later recalled: "With her unconditional devotion, affectionate solicitude, and tactfulness she won the respect and gratitude of all those around her. Petr Il'ich loved this woman very much, and in all practical difficulties he would turn to her for advice and assistance" [1].

Tchaikovsky's correspondence with Elizaveta Tchaikovskaia:

• 8 letters from Tchaikovsky to his stepmother Elizaveta Tchaikovskaia have survived, dating from 1865 to 1892 or 1893.

Notes:

1. Modest Tchaikovsky, Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского, том 1 (1997), p. 177 [back]