Dance, music, and operatic singing meld together beautifully in "Tchaikovsky: None But the Lonely Heart" -- the strange story of Tchaikovsky and Madame von Meck. Written by Eve Wolf, who also plays piano in the show, the play is an epistolary history of Tchaikovsky's relationship with his benefactress Nadezhda von Meck, woven throughout an evening featuring elements of ballet, opera, and a classical music concert. A trio of musicians (cellist, violinist, pianist) play parts of Tchaikovsky's music to underscore emotional changes in his life.

An outstanding part of the show is a ballet solo by American Ballet Theater dancer Daniel Mantei to a piece from "The Nutcracker". The ballet is placed immediately after Tchaikovsky reads a letter about his relationship with men, so the dancer becomes a symbol of his homoerotic fantasies.

Tchaikovsky's crushing fear that his homosexuality will be revealed is a large part of "None But the Lonely Heart", and this theme is very relevant now that the composer's home country of Russia is making it illegal to be openly homosexual. Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's Minister of Culture, recently said that Tchaikovsky was not gay, but "a person without a family who was stuck with the opinion that he supposedly loves men." Tchaikovsky's letters about young boys he spoiled or of his desire to marry a woman for no apparent reason are heartbreaking echoes from the past, which resonate even more now that modern Russia has made the situation even worse for the LGBT community there.

The play is based on letters between Tchaikovsky and Nadezhda von Meck, who never meet but corresponded via letter for 12 years. The pacing of the plot can be frustratingly slow at times, but the scenes are relatively short and interspersed with music, singing and dancing. Fans of classical music will love this show, as it gives insight into Tchaikovsky's life wonderfully.