Performed in Russian (accompanied by synchronized titles in Russian and English). The opera will be performed by soloists of the opera troupe and the Choir of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, the combined symphony orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre and the Primorsky Stage. The conductor is Valery Gergiev. Action one. Ivan Severyanovich Flagin, a novice of the Valaam Monastery, remembers his life. In adolescence, he once “laughter for the sake of” a whip accidentally killed a monk. The monk appeared to him in a vision, reproaching him for taking his life, not allowing him to repent. He also told Ivan Severyanich that he was “promised”. God’s son, and gave a “sign”: Flagin will die many times and never die until he comes a real “death”, and he will go in fulfillment of his mother’s “promise” to the monastery, on Valaam Island. Although Ivan Severyanovich did not believe, the monk’s prophecy came true. While wandering, Ivan was captured by the Tatars and lived with them in the Ryn Sands for ten years. He fled from the Tatars, met shepherds on the way out of captivity, and returning to his native places, entered the service of the Prince, who appreciated his ability to understand horses well. However, after three years of hard service, Ivan Severyanovich began to overcome binge drinking. In one of the taverns, Flagin met a drunken gentleman who had the gift of hypnosis. That same night, in another inn, Ivan Severyanych squandered all the money left to him by the Prince on a beautiful choir - Grushenka. Action two. When the Prince demanded from Ivan Severyanovich five thousand rubles that were entrusted to him, Flagin, obeying, told about the beautiful gypsy. Falling in love with Grush, the Prince gave the camp a huge ransom - fifty thousand rubles in gold - and took her to his house. But the Prince is a changeable man, and the Grush quickly bored him. During a trip to the city, Ivan Severyanovich learned that his master was going to marry a rich noblewoman, and returning home, he did not find a gypsy woman: The prince secretly took her to the forest, to the swamp. However, Grusha escaped from prison, met with Flagin and, taking a terrible oath from him, asked to kill her, because otherwise she herself would kill the infidel Prince and his young bride. Ivan Severyanovich, fulfilling Grushina's request, threw her from the steepness into the river. In visions, Flagin hears the voices of the monk and gypsy Grusha killed by him.