ACT I THE FEAST
Grigory Gryaznoy, a high-ranking member of the Tsar’s special retinue,broods over his failure to win the hand of Marfa. Marfa’s father, the merchant Sobakin, gave him a direct refusal and said that Marfa is already promised to Ivan Lykov, her childhood sweetheart. Gryaznoy arranges a feast and invites Malyuta Skuratov, the tsar’s physician Bomelius and Ivan Lykov, who had just returned from abroad. Gryaznoy secretly asks the physician to get a love potion, promising to generously pay for the service. Their conversation was eavesdropped by Lyubasha, the lover of Gryaznoy. Crazed with jealousy, Lyubasha swears revenge on her unknown rival.
ACT II LOVE POTION
A street in Aleksandrov sloboda. Marfa tells Duniasha about her beloved fiancé Ivan Lykov. The girl’s conversation was interrupted by appearance of Ivan the Terrible, incognito, and Marfa does not recognize him. Sobakin and Lykov join the girls and they all enter Sobakin’s residence. Lyubasha appears, looks through the window of Sobakins’ house, sees Marfa’s stunning beauty and realize she is her rival. She decides to ruin her rival, and to replace the love potion obtained by Gryaznoy with poison. Bomelius is ready to fulfill her request, but asks for her love in exchange. Lyubasha agrees to disgraceful deal with hateful Bomelius.
ACT III THE BEST MAN
At the house of Sobakin, Sobakin Lykov and Gryaznoy are discussing Marfa’s wedding to Lykov, at which Gryaznoy will be the best man. The problem is that the Betrothal cannot be announced until the tsar has chosen his bride. It seems he has inspected 2000 beautiful girls from all over Russia and has narrowed the search down to 12, among them both Marfa and Duniasha. When Marfa returns at last, everybody calm down, and congratulate the couple about to be married. Using the opportunity, Gryaznoy being unnoticed, poured potion into Marfa’s goblet. Suddenly appears Malyuta with boyars. He came to announce that the tsar selected Marfa instead of Duniasha as his wife.
ACT IV THE BRIDE
A hall in the tsar’s palace. Sobakin laments the mysterious illness of his daughter. Gryaznoy reports to Marfa that under torture Lykov confessed his intention to perish the tsar’s bride with potion and is executed on the order of sovereign. Marfa is unable to tolerate the sorrow. Her dulled consciousness, she replaces Lykov with Gryaznoy. Seeing Marfa’s madness Gryaznoy is in horror: instead of bewitching he ruined her. Unable to tolerate his soul torments Gryaznoy confesses in committed crime: he poisoned Marfa and defamed Lykov. Lyubasha runs out of the crowd with confession about replacement of potion. Frenzied Gryaznoy kills Lyubasha.
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