Tchaikovsky
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Iuliia Shpazhinskaia (ca.1850–1919), left, with her children and her mother

Iuliia Shpazhinskaia

Russian pianist (b. ca.1850; d. 1919 in Sevastopol), born Iuliia Petrovna Porokhontseva (Юлия Петровна Порохонцева, Julija Petrovna Porohonceva, Yuliya Petrovna Porokhontseva); known after her marriage as Iuliia Petrovna Shpazhinskaia (Юлия Петровна Шпажинская, Julija Petrovna Špažinskaja, Yuliya Petrovna Shpazhinskaya).

A student of the Polish pianist Teodor Leszetycki (1830–1915), Iuliia married the dramatist Ippolit Shpazhinskii (1848–1917). Tchaikovsky became friendly with her while collaborating with her husband on the libretto for the opera The Enchantress in 1885. Tchaikovsky attempted to encourage Iuliia's own literary ambitions, and their correspondence lasted several years until the composer's death.

Tchaikovsky's correspondence with Iuliia Shpazhinskaia:

• 83 letters from Tchaikovsky to Iuliia Shpazhinskaia have survived, dating from 1885 to 1891.