Tchaikovsky's patroness

They only ever met once, by accident. Madame von Meck's enormous donations to the 19th-century Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky has cemented her as one of Russia's most indispensable patrons of the arts. But the pair only ever corresponded through letters. Emily Zarevich delves into this unusual patronage and explores why, particularly when virtual friendships are widespread, all relationships matter.