Minkus

Although born in Vienna, Léon Minkus spent most of his career as the most important ballet composer in Russia before Tchaikovsky, but returned to Vienna to die in obscurity. The same fate might have befallen his music; a few of his scores survive only because of the ballets they support. The very characteristics that made his music perfect for the dance theater of its time and place also render it too formulaic to hold much interest on its own, except for balletomanes who enjoy aural souvenirs of the late-19th century stage.