Act I
In a woods amidst bolts of lightning and thunder, three groups of witches appear. They meet two generals from King Duncan’s army, Macbeth and Banco, who are on their way back from a victorious battle. The witches greet Macbeth as Thane of Glamis and of Caudor, and as the future king of Scotland; they then greet Banco, telling him he will be happier than his companion, not a king, but the father of monarchs. The king’s messengers arrive, telling Macbeth that he has been appointed Thane of Caudor. Both Macbeth and Banco are amazed that the first prediction has come true.
In the hall in Macbeth’s castle, Lady Macbeth is reading a letter from her husband, describing what has happened. When a servant announces the arrival of King Duncan together with her husband, she has already devised a plan to murder the sovereign. In fact, no sooner has Macbeth arrived than he convinces her to carry out the murder. The king arrives and with him is his son Malcolm. Macbeth waits for nightfall so he can enter the king’s room and murder him. Distraught by such a criminal action, he is overcome with anguish whereas his wife remains calm: she takes the dagger covered in blood from Macbeth’s hands and places it next to the sleeping guards so that they will be accused of the crime. Macduff, one of the king’s servants, comes into Duncan’s room to wake him up and finds him dead. Everyone comes running when they hear his cries of fear, including Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, who join in the unanimous cursing against the king’s assassin.
Act II
Macbeth is the king of Scotland while Malcolm, Duncan’s son, has fled to England and is accused of having killed his father. Talking to his wife in a room in the castle, Macbeth admits he is worried about the prophecies the witches made regarding Banco, in particular the prediction that Banco would have fathered monarchs. Macbeth therefore nourishes the desire to eliminate both the general and his son. Once again, Lady Macbeth agrees with and encourages her husband.
The assassins are getting ready to kill Banco and his son Fleanzio in the park. They reach the two victims. Banco is overcome with a strange premonitory feeling of anguish: the killers attack and kill him, while his son manages to escape.
The court has been summoned to a banquet in a magnificent hall to celebrate the new king and Lady Macbeth makes a toast. In the wings, the assassin tells King Macbeth that Banco is dead but that his son has escaped unharmed. The king is about to take Banco’s place but his ghost, which is invisible to the others, stops him. Hallucinating, Macbeth begins speaking incoherently, frightening the guests. His wife tries to encourage him and repeats the toast, but once again Macbeth sees Banco’s ghost and cries out in fear, frightening the onlookers and making them take their leave.
Act III
In a dark cave, the witches are making spells and dancing. Macbeth arrives, wanting to question them about his own future. Three apparitions are conjured up: he must be on his guard against Macduff, no newborn female will harm him, and he will be invincible as long as Birnam Forest does not move against him. Still dissatisfied, Macbeth asks if Banco’s descendants will rule after him: eight ghosts of kings appear, the last of which is none other than Banco who, with a mirror in his hand reflects the images of future kings and points at his royal offspring. Macbeth throws himself against the ghosts like a madman in an attempt to destroy them, but he falls to the ground exhausted and faints. Around him, ondines and sylphs begin dancing. Once he comes to, with his wife at his side Macbeth decides to exterminate Banco and Macduff’s family.
Act IV
At a deserted place on the border between Scotland and England, Macduff has set up camp with Scottish refugees and political exiles. They are lamenting the fate of their oppressed homeland. Macduff is also thinking about his family who was murdered on Macbeth’s orders. Malcolm joins them at the head of the English allies and then tells each soldier to take a branch in Birnam Forest to camouflage themselves and approach the castle of the enemy king.
A doctor and lady-in-waiting are in the castle helping Lady Macbeth, who has been overcome with madness. She is continuously rubbing her hands to get rid of an invisible splash of blood. Without realising who is around her, she walks around the castle like a mad, exhausted sleepwalker, a victim of the most atrocious feelings of remorse.
Macbeth is frightened: although he is reassured by the prophecy that no female offspring can harm him, he regrets not having any heirs. He is not disturbed by the news of Lady Macbeth’s death; instead, he is struck when his soldiers tell him that Birnam Forest is moving towards the castle. The king takes his sword and rushes to the battlefield.
On a vast plain, the English soldiers are advancing, hidden by their branches. Once they have thrown them aside, they unsheathe their swords and throw themselves into battle. Macduff reaches Macbeth and, telling him that he was not born from a woman but removed from the womb earlier, kills him. Malcolm is proclaimed King of Scotland.