Okay it’s true, it doesn’t take a whole lot to get me excited when it comes to Tchaikovsky. From a great performance of his works to a mere mention of him in a Playbill or magazine, I tend to go bonkers. Some things even cause me to tremble! So it was when I found this photo of Pyotr’s traveling trunks a few years back. I saved it (obviously) and decided to share it with everyone here. It brings to my mind the scene I wrote in Fate when he and Aleksei are checking in to the very expensive Hotel Meurice in Paris and the bellman goes to mark their trunks with their suite number in chalk. This was common practice in the 1800’s and no one thought anything about it. In those days, the trunks were there to protect what was inside, and no one much worried about the trunk itself. Today, someone with a $12,000 Goyard or Vuitton trunk would freak out and probably sue the hotel if anyone marked it up! Below, I am also happy to include a photo of Pyotr’s salon in his beloved (final) house in Klin, Russia.

Best to all and happy reading, Adin Dalton