Alexander Ostrovsky

Midnight. The still realm of Father Frost. The wood-goblin Leshiy pronounces the end of the winter. Accompanied by birds Spring comes to stay. She tries to warm them. Everything in the wood gets filled with new life.

Spring confesses to the birds, that she misses the warm and tender Sun. She has come to the North because the jealous Frost and their daughter Snow-maiden are waiting for her.

Snow-maiden was born to them 15 years ago and since then the wrathful Sun - Yarilo has been grudging the Earth his warmth and light: winters have become long and severe while summers - short.

Father Frost appears. Between Spring and Frost there happens a sad disagreement. The cause of their unhappy disagreement is their daughter's destiny. Father fears for her because he knows that she is doomed to die of love. At last the parents agree that Snow-maiden is to stay with people and be adopted by the family of childless Bobyl-Bakula and his wife, Bobylikha. They are unanimous on that and call for their daughter. Snow-maiden is only too happy to obey as she has always been longing for listening to comely Lel-shepherd and charming songs. Leaving the girl in the charge of Leshiy, Frost and Spring depart.

A crowd of joyful Berendeys appears. They have come into the Fairy Wood to see Shrovetide out and see Spring in. Bobyl and his wife catch the sight of Snow-maiden in the distance. She approaches them and begs to take her as their daughter. They happily agree. She heartily says good-bye to the Wood and it retaliates, which makes the Berendeys prostrate before the magic force of Snow-maiden.

Snow-maiden has come to live among people.

Lel sings to her his tender songs but as soon as he hears the inviting voices of the other girls, he throws away the flower gifted by Snow-maiden and leaves her. The girl feels deeply hurt. Snow-maiden comes to understand that living among people is not only songs, but also pain.

Appears Kupava eager to share her happiness with the whole world - she is loved by Mizgir, a rich and handsome merchant. It will be their wedding day soon. Here comes Mizgir, Kupava’s groom with rich gifts to be given to Kupava's bridesmaids in return for his bride. This is the old rite of Berendeys. All of a sudden he sees Snow-maiden whose beauty captures him. And so powerful the charm is that all his love for Kupava vanishes away. He tries to win the girl by bribing her step parents and by telling her about his passionate love but he fails.

Kupava’s misfortune has occurred. The deceived bride, she complains about her fate. The people shocked by Mizgir's betrayal advise Kupava to beg the merciful and just Tzar Berendey to punish him. Kupava swears Snow-maiden.

Blind psaltery players sing praises of Tsar Berendey and of the quiet and happy life under his reign; Bermyata echoes them, but all is in vain: he has a bitter feeling of something going wrong in his lands. He attributes it to Yarilo's wrath: the true love is almost lost by people and that's the reason. To propitiate this formidable god he suggests gathering all the loving couples in the Fairy Wood. On the morning of Yarilo's Day they will be blessed wives and husbands. Berendey hopes that this love sacrifice will make Yarilo more generous as he will see that there is still true love in people's hearts.

Comes Kupava and begs the Tzar for justice. Her groom Mizgir went back on his word in the most shameful way. Tzar Berendey is deeply affected by her sad story. He feels compassion for her and orders that Mizgir should be brought in for a trial. His birutchi-heralds calls out people.

Mizgir comes to the trial. He publicly announces that he loves Snow-maiden and will never call Kupava his wife. Berendey tells Mizgir that for his dishonest conduct he is doomed to live in exile forever. Mizgir doesn't protest, but only wants Tsar Berendey to look at the girl who captured his heart.

Snow-maiden appears accompanied by her step parents. Deeply touched by her fragile beauty he kindly talks to her and is amazed to hear that she doesn’t know love. He can’t believe that such a beauty is unaware of this precious feeling. Small wonder Yarilo turned his back on those lands. Then Tzar Berendey solemnly promises that the young man who, by the dawn time, will have managed to drop a spark of love into Snow-maiden's virgin heart will be her husband. Both Lel and Mizgir volunteer to do it.

The sun sets. Tzar Berendey blesses the people to go to the meadow of the Fairy Wood to celebrate the Eve of Yarilo’s Feast Day (i.e. the first day of summer). The Berendeys are leaving the temple. Lel sings his song. Pleased with his singing Tsar Berendey allows him to choose a girl to his liking for a kiss. Snow-maiden expects Lel to choose her, but Kupava is the girl to award Lel with a kiss. Snow-maiden is left alone in the Temple.

Mizgir finds her and addresses his love-speeches to her but she remains unaffected. Leshiy appears to prevent Mizgir from taking her by force. The wood-goblin sends him away into the Fairy Wood to wander weary about in search of his beloved.

Mizgir wanders about in the wood following the specter of Snow- maiden.

Snow-maiden sees Lel and Kupava happy. Kupava in a tender voice thanks Lel for having rescued her from disgrace. Snow-maiden is in despair. She is ready to ask her mother for a gift of love even if this precious feeling is fatal for her. She leaves to see her mother Spring.

Snow-maiden calls her mother. Spring makes her appearance out of the Fairy Lake. Spring feels despair in her daughter’s voice. She is acutely conscious of the causes. She crowns the girl’s head with her farewell gift – a garland. She warns the daughter to keep away from Yarilo's rays as she will die if only touched by them.