Tchaikovsky Home Site - Montreux

Tchaikovsky's home site is on Av. Claude-Nobs in Montreux, Switzerland.  It was here at the Pension Richelieu, which once stood at this location, that the famed composer lived off and on from the winter of 1877 to the spring of 1878.  Escaping a disastrous and emotional draining marriage to Antonina Milyukova, Tchaikovsky fled to Switzerland and soon found himself in the company of his brother Anatoly here at the Pension Richelieu.  Very shortly after arriving at the villa, which stood at that time on the outskirts of Montreux in the village of Clarens, he found himself revived enough to work on his new lyric opera Eugene Onegin, based on the novel by Alexander Pushkin.  He soon had Act 1 of the opera completed.  He was also able to complete exensive work on a second opera The Maid of Orleans.  Eugene Onegin would eventually premiere in 1879, while The Maid would premiere in 1881.  During his time here Tchaikovsky was supported by a wealthy widow named Nadeja von Meck, and after his failed marriage, would be constantly supported by men, including the violinist Iosif Kotek, who would inspire him to work on his Violin Concerto.  Other works that Tchaikovsky penned while in Clarens were Twelve Pieces, Op. 40 and the Grand Sonata.  After 1878 the composer would travel throughout Europe, including a brief visit back to Moscow.  The Pension Richelieu was destroyed in 1894 to make way for the L'Hotel Continental, which stood until 1982 when the current building, which houses the Royal Plaza Hotel was built.  There is a plaque in the window of the hotel which pays tribute to Tchaikovsky's time here.

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