PETER I. Musikalisch-dramatische Fresken in 3
Akten

Peter I and Sofia, Peter’s half-sister and regent, are engaged in a power struggle in the Czarist Empire. In contrast to Peter, who intends to thoroughly modernise the Russian Empire, the conservative Sofia intends to seize all the power entirely for herself with the help of her devoted Streltsis and the Old Believers who follow her. The young Anastasia, a pious Old Believer, is dismayed over Peter’s “godless” intentions. Anastasia’s fiancé, the soldier Tikhon, on the other hand, is one of Peter’s partisans. A revolt by the Streltsis, apparently with the regent Sofia behind them, is put to a bloody end by Peter. After ascending to the throne, the new Czar Peter I banishes his half-sister to a convent. Peter returns to Moscow after staying in Amsterdam. The Streltsis, agitated by Sofia, are again beginning to revolt and, moreover, the Swedish army is threatening Russia’s borders. Peter again defeats the Streltsis and gathers together an army against the advancing Swedes. The simple washerwoman Marta first becomes the Czar’s lover and later his wife. In Novgorod the Czar has the old church bells taken out to gain iron for cannons. To protect their sacred possessions, the Old Believers stand under the bells. A victim of an accident, Anastasia is killed by a falling bell. Makari, the leader of the Old Believers, then proclaims an open rebellion against the Czar. Tichon’s weapon fails when he tries to kill Peter with it. The Czar has Makari executed; Tikhon, on the other hand, is released so that he can be a witness to how God protected the Czar.

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