Alexandra's letter to Ernst, dated January 9/21 1896

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Alexandra wrote this letter to her brother Ernst on January 9/21, 1896. I can't believe she didn't like the music for Swan Lake!

The letter:

My darling Ernie,
It is a shame my not having written to you for such an age, but I have really very much to do. We dine every evening now at 7 & at 8 go to the Theatre. Twice we have been to the Пцковая дама, wh. I enjoyed immensely, & then to to Tschaikowsky's first ballet, the Swan Lake (tiresome), & not pretty music, & then to two small French innocent plays. To-night we are going to the Russian Theatre. — How charming Medea & her husband sing, his voice is the best when he sings piano — quite lovely & so sympathetic, reminding me much of little Georgie's.

In the morning I receive daily ladies of gentlemen & twice a week play an hour with Nicky's former music master. — I enjoy it much & feel how necessary it is — you can tell it Herr de Haan, that I read with a master. I think he will be contented with me then. — Then after luncheon we go & walk for an hour or two in Anitchkoff garden & sometimes lunch or have tea there, then I go to Baby's bath, wash her sometimes & then nurse her, as also every morning. In between I have to try on dresses wh. won't ever fit. —

We went to the Xmas tree at one Institute — yesterday to an exhibition of watercolours & we brought some quite nice ones. — The weather is changeable, but the view out of my corner window is ideal. I still have not yet got all my furniture, wh. is an utter nuisance, as how can people judge with empty rooms. — Baby is flourishing, thank God — grows in length & breadth — her length is 62½ cm., 55½ when she was born 2 months ago. I am not at all enchanted with the nurse — she is good & kind with Baby, but as a woman most antipathetic, & that disturbs me sorely. Her manners are neither very nice, & she will mimic people in speaking about them, an odious habit, wh. would be awful for a Child to learn — most headstrong (but I am too, thank goodness). I foresee no end of troubles, & only wish I had an other. —

Now I must be off. Kissing you 3 dear Creatures very, very tenderly, I remain, yr utterly, deeply loving old Sunny.

P. S. I hope & trust you are quite well again, poor darling Boy. I used your lovely fan the other evening. Three Thursdays & then a Wednesday are the balls. I am dying of fright. Fancy, for the big ball this first Thursday, I shall have to make a cercle in a room with 55 Mamas & more daughters — it is cruel, & I don't know how I shall ever manage it — what can one say to them, with men it's so much easier, one has so much more to ask. — Many messages to the Ladies & Gentlemen.

Above: Nicholas and Alexandra. Photo courtesy of TatianaZ on Flickr.

Above: Ernst.

Above: Olga. Photo courtesy of TatianaZ on Flickr.