After what happened life will never be the same.
Everybody lives waiting for an unavoidable end and for extinction.
Act I
In the Woods
A deserted and abandoned place in the woods, away from major roads and civilization. Fevroniya renounced her previous life in order to devote herself to those in need. Here in the wilderness, she leads a completely different life. She feels the energy and that it is her destiny to help those who cannot survive on their own, who are lost or weak.
Having got lost during a hunt, Prince Vsevolod, son of Yuri, the ruler of Great Kitezh, comes this way. Astounded by this island of life amongst the impassable woods, he questions Fevroniya about her unusual fate. Vsevolod likes Fevroniya but, at first, listens doubtfully to her unearthly words. They are too much at odds with opinions and the so-called truth he had got used to. However, Fevroniya reveals a completely different worldview to him. Enraptured, Vsevolod understands that he cannot exist without her anymore. He asks Fevroniya to be his bride.
When he hears the voices of the hunters trailing behind, he bids her farewell and promises to take her with him to Great Kitezh. Led by Fyodor Poyarok, the prince’s friend, the hunters appear looking for Vsevolod and tell Fevroniya who was her visitor.
Act II
Little Kitezh
The people in the city lead an idle life trying to forget about the impending threat. Heightened festivities are going on in the square. Grishka Kuterma is the centre of attention. He is happy to mock. Suddenly one of the citizens foretells an awful calamity that will befall the land, making everybody feel dread. While people are afraid at first, they later refuse to believe the prophecies. Deep inside, everybody hopes that they will be protected inside the unapproachable Great Kitezh, that they will be able to find refuge and shelter there.
The rumour goes that today Vsevolod's bride Fevroniya shall come to Great Kitezh. Two unknown people try to bribe Grishka Kuterma so that he publicly humiliates Fevroniya when she arrives in the city. Fevroniya irritates them as they believe her unworthy to live in Great Kitezh. Grishka agrees to the plot. Fyodor Poyarok brings Fevroniya to the city. The mob on the square greets her happily, regarding her as their protector. But Grishka Kuterma publicly jeers at Fevroniya, mocking her low birth. The mob is angry. Fevroniya, however, takes Grishka under her protection, she answers him humbly and sincerely and pities Kuterma. Hearing her words, Grishka feels lost and resentful.
Poyarok tries to stop the general confusion by calling to start the wedding song. But the song is interrupted. To everybody's horror, a scared crowd runs in and announces the approach of the enemy. The Tatars burst in and cruelly kill all the scared inhabitants and blinding Poyarok. Their leaders Bedyay and Burunday carry away Fevroniya whom they liked. As the Tatar’s aim is to find the way to Great Kitezh, Grishka Kuterma agrees to lead them. Fevroniya prays to the Lord to protect Great Kitezh.
Act III
Great Kitezh
At midnight in Great Kitezh, Prince Yuri tries to assemble all citizens, from young to old, to announce the approaching threat. The people gather around the blinded Poyarok, who made it to the city together with a boy. Everybody is shaken by his story about the dreadful disaster and about the rumours that Fevroniya herself is leading the Tatars to Great Kitezh. The citizens are downcast including Prince Yuri, who had created Kitezh as a shelter from earthly sufferings and as a place of spiritual renunciation. The people who had once followed him to this place are now at a loss. But there is nothing to count on but him.
Yuri asks everybody to prepare for a heroic death. He sends all men into the battle with the Tatars. The men leave facing their certain death. Only the wives, mothers and children stay behind. Sensing that their men will not return, they are ready for anything. Yuri strengthens their resolve. The women bid farewell to each other hoping to be reunited with their men on the other side of life. On the edge of death, the sorrow of the remaining citizens of Kitezh is replaced by joy.
Symphonic interlude
The battle of Kherzhenets
All the men perish in a bloody fight with the Tatars. Vsevolod gets forty mortal wounds.
In the middle of the night, Grishka Kuterma brings the Tatars to the vicinity of Great Kitezh. Bedyay and Burunday suspect that Grishka deliberately led them to the wrong place and threaten to kill him if they don't see Great Kitezh the next morning. The tired Tatars are dividing the loot. In a quarrel over Fevroniya, Burunday kills Bedyay. Then all the Tatars fall asleep.
Fevroniya hears about Vsevolod’s death and mourns her slain groom. While the Tatars are asleep Grishka begs Fevroniya to release him, telling her that her fate is sealed anyway. He confesses that he slandered her making everybody believe that it was her who led the Tatars to Kitezh. Therefore it makes no sense for her to try to save her own life. Fevroniya takes pity and forgives Grishka. Risking her own life she tries to rescue him.
By the first light of dawn, Grishka sees Great Kitezh. He loses his mind and tries to run away, taking Fevroniya with him. The Tatars wake up and have a frightening vision.
Act IV
In the Woods
In the middle of the night, Fevroniya is exhausted and struggles to make her way through the thick of the woods. Kuterma follows her. He speaks in delirium. Fevroniya tries to comfort him and to provide him with assistance and hope. She teaches him how to pray. But Kuterma only sees demons all around and finally runs off to the woods screaming wildly. Fevroniya tries to call him in vain. All her energy is leaving her. Lying down on the ground a happy image appears in front of her: she sees herself surrounded by her loved ones, those who were dear to her, whether she had or had not met in the course of her life, had or had not been able to help.
