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Act 1: "The Woman"

19th Century Saint Petersburg, August, during the Festival of听Saint Alexander

Stephana is the听mistress听of听Prince听Alexis, having been seduced and then sold to him by Gleby in return for a generous pension. Stephana loves Vassili, a听Lieutenant听who believes her to be no more than a common peasant girl. Stephana is summoned to war but first goes to meet Stephana, who tells him the truth about her background. The Prince enters, demanding to know why the two are meeting. This develops into a听duel听, resulting in the Prince鈥檚 death at the hands of Vassili. Vassili is captured and taken to the police.

Act 2: "The Lover"

The听frontier听between听Russia听and听Siberia听in winter

Several听prisoners, having been sentenced to forced labour in the mines,听struggle through the snows of Siberia as women and children bid them farewell from the roadside. Amongst them is bedraggled and desperate Vassili. Stephana arrives in a听sleigh, having abandoned her comfortable life to join him. Vassili pleads for Stephana to return but she refuses and is ordered into the wastes alongside her lover.

Act 3: "The Heroine"

A hut in the mines of听Trans-Baikal听on the eve of听Russian Easter

The prisoners have been allowed to organise a feast in celebration of Easter. Stephana, with the help of an old convict, begins to plan her and Vassili鈥檚 escape. At that moment, her seducer & betrayer Gleby arrives. 听Recognising Stephana, he begins to hurl insults at her. Vassili attempts to attack him but is held back by the other convicts. The听church听bell rings and prayers start. During the night Vassili and Stephana execute their plan to escape but Gleby spots them and alerts the guards who give pursuit. Shots are heard and, soon after, a wounded Stephana is brought back without Vassili. After one final farewell to her beloved, she dies from her injuries. 听

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