Having defeated the Polovtsian prince Zamir, the Russian tsar Mstislav takes his wife Soren prisoner. The beauty of the captive princess blinded Mstislav, he inflamed with her passion and dreams of elevating her to the Russian throne. He spreads the rumor that Zamir is dead.
Soren is not seduced by the royal throne. Day and night, she thinks of Zamir. Even the news that he was killed cannot shake her: "I am faithful to him and the dead abode." She says to the devoted servant Zenida that she would have chosen death long ago, but she is stopped by a hunch that Zamir has been saved. No one submitted any reliable evidence of her husband’s death.
Sorena instructs the maidservant to find out the truth from the Mstislav servants - "Do not be sorry, give silver and gold." Left alone, Sorena is overwhelmed by conflicting feelings: "My soul is now an unsteady sea / In love, despair, in hope, fear, grief."
She appeals to her gods, reproaches them: as long as they endure the troubles and groans of their people - "everywhere violence, robbery, deceit." Why do they look indifferently as arrogant conquerors forcibly introduce Christianity?
Mstislav appears. Now he does not at all look like a cruel conqueror and an impudent tyrant. He begins with an apology that he appeared, violating the prohibition of Sorena. Mstislav talks about his fiery love, reproaches Sorena for her indifference. In desperation, he appeals to Sorena - how to earn her love? “Return the throne to its rightful owner Zamir, leave our countries, forget Sorena,” she replies. “Enough! - interrupts Princess Mstislav. “You tell Mstislav to die!” He convinces her that he is not free in his feeling: “Love, to which all are subject to mortal childbirth, / Lady of hearts, mistress of nature! / Above all passions, laws and the mind / She is in the sunflower all over the law itself. / And courage and honor are powerless before her ... ".
In response to Mstislav Soren’s sincere confession, he sympathetically remarks that nothing surpassed unhappy love in torment. “You are innocent,” she continues, “but I am innocent. I love Zamir and I cannot live without him. ”
Left alone, Mstislav for a long time laments over his own impotence. Why did he destroy the thrones, pouring blood? To become a "slave of the wife." It’s not worth it to wallow in a woman’s legs. He vainly urges himself to remember his high lot.
Meanwhile, the close Zamira Ostan with a detachment of Polovtsy attacked the guard, trying to rescue their from captivity. However, the detachment is broken and also full. Sorena sends a maid to Mstislav with a request to allow her to see Ostan: only she will believe that Zamir is dead.
Captives and among them dressed Zamir are introduced. He changed his dress, called himself Ostan and led a detachment himself, but was captured. Zamir in tears tells Sorena how severely wounded he was, how he barely survived, how he took refuge in the woods, where a faithful servant came out.
The servant Mstislav Premysl is vigilantly watching this scene. He retells in detail to Mstislav everything he saw. He instantly suspects that Zamir himself is in his hands. Mstislav is overwhelmed with jealousy and revenge, orders the prisoners to be brought in to recognize Zamir himself, and if this is Zamir, then death awaits the one who dares to love Sorena.
Premise introduces prisoners. "What intentions did you have, / Having come with a weapon to the degree subject to me?" - interrogates Mstislav. The prisoner confesses that he is Zamir, but he is not afraid of death: to live in slavery of shame - "I will go to hell, despising the villain." At the last words, Sorena runs in.
She begs on her knees to spare Zamir; and since Mstislav condemned him to death, let him execute her too - without a husband, she cannot live. Mstislav does not heed her plea. Realizing that Zamir is doomed, Sorena decides to commit suicide. Zenida reassures her - there is still no time to despair, because a minute ago she saw Zamir alive. A different idea takes hold of Soren - to perish, but having avenged the enemy.
Mstislav orders to prepare the poison. Premysl reports that his command has been fulfilled, but pleases the ruler - it is not the business of the king to be a murderer. Mstislav does not hear the sage, he concocts another insidiousness: Zamir will be left with life, but he must become a Christian. By adopting a different faith, he will no longer be considered the spouse of Sorena. Suspecting nothing, the latter comes to beg Zamir to agree to the conditions of the king. “Sell your law, freedom, honor for life ?!” - Zamir refuses angrily.
Mstislav orders to bring Zamir to church at night, hoping that, shocked by the splendor of the Christian church, Zamir will change his mind. He will return to the Polovtsian converted to Christianity both the throne and the cities, but Sorena will no longer be his wife, and Mstislav will receive her as a reward.
Premise convinces him not to commit deceit and to show magnanimity before the face of the Divine - the true valor of kings and heroes. Preconception prays to the gods to strengthen the king in his good will.
Night, the square in front of the temple. Is Sorena. She decided to kill the tyrant. From her hiding place she sees the Providence entering the temple, and realizes that Mstislav is also there. All the better: the church will become his tomb. She sneaks into the temple and in the darkness strikes with a dagger of a tyrant.
People scream to the screams, bring torches. Mstislav and Premysl come out of the temple, followed by two warriors who lead the bleeding Zamira: in the darkness, the dagger of Sorena struck him. Mstislav says that he returned to Zamir the throne and the city, and when he overpowered himself, he said: “Sorena is yours,” he lost his feelings. The delighted Zamir rushed to the exit, where the killer overtook him. “The killer is me,” says Sorena, and with the words: “Without fear, I joyfully go to eternal night,” stabs herself. Zamir is dying.
