First scene
Giovanna d'Arco
1430s
Giovanna (Joan of Arc) has successfully led the French forces and won a battle against the English. Still, she has been taken captive by them.
She is tied to the stake, awaiting to be burned as a witch. During the night she has visions in which she leads the French to battlefield victory. She also sees king Charles VII being captured by the English and asks God why he punishes her, even though she has forsaken her worldly love for the King.
Giovanna's father Giacomo has believed all along that she has been possessed by the Devil, but when he hears her talk of her love for God he realises that he has been mistaken and frees her. Giovanna prepares to go to the front yet again.
Second scene
I masnadieri
1750s
During a break from his studies at the university, young Carlo has joined a band of ruthless highwaymen.
Having tired of his lawless life, Carlo writes to his father Massimiliano and begs for help and forgiveness. The letter is intercepted by his younger brother Francesco before reaching the receiver. Francesco envies his brother, and destroys the letter, and Massimiliano disowns Carlo.
When Carlo finds out about this, he decides to remain with his new comrades for the rest of his life and is elected their leader. After assaulting a city to rescue one of his new friends from prison and setting fire to half of the city, he questions his way of life and considers to end it.
Francesco takes the opportunity to feign a message that Carlo has died in a confrontation. In the presence of Massimiliano and Carlo's fiancée Amalia, Francesco reads Carlo's (feigned) last wish, in which Carlo bids farewell to his family and entreats Francesco to care for Amalia. Old and infirm, Massimiliano regrets being so hard on Carlo, and dies.
Francesco confesses his love for Amalia, who rejects his proposal. This enrages Francesco, but Amalia manages to trick him and escapes.
Third scene
Luisa Miller
1720s.
Middle-class Luisa is in love with the Count's son Rodolfo. Both their fathers, Herr Miller and Count Walter, strongly oppose their relationship. Furthermore, in a weak moment Miller has promised his daughter to Wurm, the Count's steward.
Realising that Luisa never will love Wurm, Miller gets cold feet and tries to wriggle out of his promise. Wurm has Miller arrested and uses Luisa's love for her father. In order to set him free, she has to write a letter, dictated to her by Wurm. In it, she confesses that she has never loved Rodolfo, that her sole ambition was to better herself, and that she really loves Wurm.
Miller tells Luisa that a grand wedding is being prepared in the castle. Suddenly Rodolfo appears and declares his love for Luisa. A moment later Walter enters, to collect his son who is supposed to marry someone of his own class. Walter calls Luisa a prostitute and a brawl ensues. When things are getting out of hand, Luisa gets down on her knees to try and calm both fathers down.
Fourth scene
Don Carlo
1560s
The marquis of Posa has come to see his best friend Don Carlo, prince and heir to the Spanish throne, who is in prison awaiting execution. Posa has concluded that the only way to achieve a political change in Flanders, a Spanish colony, is to make sure that the prince will not be executed.
The princess of Eboli is a close confidante of queen Elisabetta. The queen is a French princess and was supposed to be married to Don Carlo. Due to geopolitical strategies, though, she was married to his father, King Filippo II. Eboli has confessed to the queen that she has intrigued behind her back, and that she has been a mistress of her husband, King Filippo. Before Elisabetta leaves her, she delivers an ultimatum to Eboli: either enter a convent or go into exile.
Don Carlo has received a letter proposing a secret meeting with Elisabetta. The letter is actually written by Eboli, who is secretly in love with Carlo. She has misinterpreted his attentions to the queen, thinking he was in love with her. When all is revealed, Eboli is in the possession of a secret that may cost both Don Carlo and the queen their lives. Posa tries to interrupt their meeting. The two men watch Eboli leave, knowing that she will make use of her discovery. Posa knows that Carlo is in possession of secret documents that implicate the prince in recent uprisings in Flanders. As one of Spain's most prominent generals, Posa has tried with all his might to make the king stop the oppression of Flanders. Now he convinces Carlo to give him the documents.
Fifth scene
Giovanna d'Arco
1430s
Giovanna has once again led the French troops to victory, and they have won the war.
Mortally wounded, she is reunited with her father Giacomo and King Charles VII. After saying her last farewell, Giovanna joins the angels.
