A thorough and touching exploration of the famed Russian composer
Even to modern-day audiences, the name Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky has a newfound relevance, with his music dominating social media trends in consistent cycles. Audiences will also recognise his music from some of the most iconic ballet scores, even when people try their hand at re-choreographing a work, no-one dares rewrite the soundtrack for fear of messing with perfection.
It’s impossible not to recognise the sounds of Tchaikovsky, and the structure of this production centres the music. Tchaikovsky Child of Glass follows the life story of the famed composer, from childhood to final moments. Written, directed and starring Tama Matheson, this is truly a passion project. With a runtime of nearly 3 hours, Matheson plays the titular role and performs what is essentially a monologue punctuated by music.
And the music is what the audience are here for. A selection of classical pieces, some from Tchaikovsky and some from other famed composers, are played live by pianist Jayson Gillham. Sensationally performed, the music lifts the piece and is made all the more poignant when accompanied by dance.
Dancer Téo Debreuil plays the non-speaking part of Tchaikovsky’s lovers, ultimately representing his homosexual desire. Scenes featuring music from Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake, accompanied by choreography by Stephen Wicks are the highlights of the production, capturing the tragedy of being unable to live in society as your true self.
It is a strange directorial decision to omit some of Tchaikovsky’s most famous pieces, although this is framed as a comedic choice (Matheson casts The Nutcracker aside as a silly piece that will soon be forgotten), it feels like a series of missed opportunities to engage the audience.
The text of the play itself is often quite clunky, and struggles to hold audience attention for such a lengthy runtime. The content continues to circle back to Tchaikovsky’s guilt and shame around his sexuality, which instead of building to the final crescendo, just feels like rehashing the societal homophobia again and again.
The material is strong and the format unique, perhaps a 90-minute version with no interval would make this a truly unforgettable evening. Certainly in the beautiful open-air venue that is Holland Park Opera, (heatwave notwithstanding), it’s impossible not to be moved by the touching performances. Audience members will leave with any curiosity around the Russian composer well and truly satisfied.
Tchaikovsky Child of Glass ran at Holland Park Opera until 15 August, 2026.