Libretto by Sergei Prokofiev based on Valery Bryusov’s novel of the same name

Sung in Russian.

Presented with one interval.

Act I

Scene 1
Ruprecht, a traveler, arrives to a rented room where he is to stay for the night. He is distracted by noise coming from another room where he finds Renata, a woman possessed by spirits. Renata tells him her life story. As a young girl, she’d seen a Fiery Angel, Madiel, who had become her friend but refused her physical love as she grew older. Later, she met the Count Genrich who she thought was Madiel himself. They lived happily in his castle for a year but then he left her and she has been looking for him ever since.

Ruprecht decides to join Renata in her travels and hopes to become her lover. Renata is eager to leave the rooms where she is been accused of being a prostitute, and continue to look for Genrich. The landlady brings in a fortune teller who predicts Renata bloody destiny. Ruprecht is furious and tries to attack the fortune teller but his knife is stopped by the supernatural forces. Renata and Ruprecht leave the rooms.

Scene 2
Renata is reading a book on magic. Ruprecht is tired of looking for Genrich but Renata will not give up. She also will not become Ruprecht’s lover, as she is still possessed by her Angel.
Yakov Glok brings in two books on magic and promises Ruprecht to find another important cabbalistic study later in the day.
Renata starts conjuring spirits. Knocks are heard on the walls, and both Renata and Ruprecht are excited to expect Genrich to appear. But as no one comes, Renata is desperate. Yakov Glok is back in order to take Ruprecht to Agrippa, an important magician posing as a scientist.

Scene 3
In Agrippa’s study, Ruprecht is questioning him about matters of science and magic. Agrippa is convinced that the real magician is actually a scientist and a philosopher.

Scene 4
Renata waits in front of Genrich’s house. She sees Ruprecht who returns from Agrippa, and implores him to kill Genrich and revenge her humiliation. Ruprecht, first in shock, finally agrees to a duel and challenges the Count. While he is talking to Genrich, Renata repents again and tries to prevent Ruprecht from killing her Angel. Ruprecht leaves for the duel.

Scene 5
At the duel, Ruprecht falls wounded. Matvey, his second, brings Renata to see him and goes for a doctor. Renata declares finally her love to Ruprecht, and the Doctor promises to save his life.

Act II

Scene 1
Ruprecht is healed. He asks Renata to marry him but she believes that their relationship is a sin. Her destiny is looking for salvation at the monastery. She leaves.

Scene 2
Looking for Renata, Ruprecht finds himself at the tavern where Mefistofeles is amusing himself by eating a little boy and then bringing him back to life. His companion, Faust, complains about Mefistofeles silly tricks. Both travelers invite Ruprecht to join them in their trip.

Scene 3
The monastery. Mother Superior has called the Inquisitor to defeat the spirits torturing Renata. When he arrives andperforms the exorcism, other nuns become affected by the demons. Renata denies her guilt and attacks the Inquisitor who accuses her for a sinful relationship with the Devil and orders to bum her on the stake. She triumphs over him.

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