Mariinsky II (New Theatre)

Synopsis

Act I. Love
Tableau 1. Friends greet Louise on her birthday, but the girl is waiting only for her beloved. She does not know that the young man who calls himself Carl is in fact none other than Rudolf, the son of the new master, Count Walter. Louise's father Miller senses trouble, and for good reason. Wurm, the earl's steward and rejected pretender to Louise's hand, reveals Rudolf's secret to Miller in a fit of jealousy. The father is shocked: his daughter is in danger.
Tableau 2. The love between Rudolf and Louise contradicts the intentions of Count Walter, another indignant father: he expects his son to propose not to Louise, a girl from the “lower classes”, but to Duchess Federica, and thus strengthen the position of the family. Rudolf refuses. His confession outrages Federica.
Tableau 3. Miller, furious, informs Louise about the deceit of her lover. But Rudolf reveals his real name to Louise and asks Miller for her hand in marriage. Suddenly, the Count appears to destroy all hopes for happiness. The Count will not allow this union, the punishment is inevitable. Only the threat of his son to reveal the terrible secret of how the Count got his title keeps Walter from ordering to arrest Louise along with his father.

Act II. Conspiracy
Tableau 1. Miller is arrested and faces a terrible punishment. Louise is horrified by the fate of her father. Wurm offers a deal: if the girl writes a letter in which she slanders herself, refuses Rudolf and declares her love for the manager, her father will be saved. Louise is broken, the letter is ready.
Tableau 2. Walter and Wurm hope to succeed – or Rudolf will expose them as partners in the crime that gave Walter power. The intrigue succeeds: Louise, brought by Wurm, confirms to Federica that her heart belongs to Wurm.
Tableau 3. Rudolf receives a letter with Louise's false confession. Having read it, he renounces both Louise and his own intention to reveal the secret of Wurm and Walter. The accomplices are safe. Ahead lie the weddings of Rudolf and Federica, and Wurm and Louise.
(No intermission)

Act III. Poison
Louise is desperately contemplating suicide. The father, released from prison, comforts and restrains her. But before they can leave the place where so much misfortune has befallen them, Rudolf appears. In despair and unable to forgive the imaginary betrayal of his beloved, he brings a poisoned drink. The young man drinks it himself and gives it to Louise to drink. The lovers talk before bidding each other farewell. Only then do both realize that they never betrayed each other. Their death becomes grief for one father and punishment for the other.