Prologue

Spring sings of the eternal cold in the land. She explains to the birds that she and King Frost have had a daughter, and the sun has become angry and therefore has given no warmth for the last 15 years. The birds dance and sing to warm themselves: "Sbiralis ptitsi." Frost sends in a burst of snow and follows himself, exuberantly exclaiming that he loves the cold he brings: "Po bogatim." She says that Snegurochka wants her freedom to live among humans, and he warns Spring that he has to go north, that the sun is determined to destroy Snegurochka and can do it if she is ever warmed by the fires of love. Frost calls her, and she is delighted at the thought of being free and sings of the wonderful songs she has heard a young singer, Lehl, perform. Her parents are afraid but she reassures them that she is not in love with him. Spring tells Snegurochka how to summon her and Frost tells the wood sprite to protect her if any man should ever pay unwelcome attentions to Snegurochka. The villagers come in, celebrating Carnival: "Ranim-rano kuri." Snegurochka hides at first, but then emerges and asks Bobil to take her in as his daughter. He and Bobilicka agree. When she calls goodbye to the forest, the villagers are amazed when the trees bow in response.



Act One

The act opens in Bobil's cottage. Lehl comes to sing for Snegurochka, "Zemlyanichka yagodka," but she is not overtly responsive and he runs out to entertain the livelier girls. Kupava runs in to tell Snegurochka that she has met a wonderful man, Misgir, a handsome and rich young merchant who has proposed to her. He comes in and, following tradition, gives the young men and women a "dowry" to make up for stealing their companion, in a lively ensemble. However, just a moment after declaring his love for Kupava, he notices Snegurochka and falls in love with her. When they all go out but he sees she is staying, Misgir insists on staying, too. Snegurochka tries to evade him but he heaps gifts in front of Bobil and Bobilicka and pleads his love. They make her order Lehl away, and she asks why he is weeping. He responds she will know the meaning of tears herself. Kupava brings the villagers back and they are outraged when he coolly explains he now loves Snegurochka instead of Kupava. When Kupava demands to know why, he tells her that she was too forward in accepting his attentions and responding. His final insult is that he assumed such an immodest woman might be faithless. She and the villagers are outraged and she vows to go to the Tsar for redress.

In the Tsar's palace, musicians entertain him with martial songs, but conclude that the peace his kingdom enjoys is better still. Bermate, one of his nobles, enters and obsequiously tells him his kingdom enjoys perfect bliss. The Tsar dismisses this and says that the sun has not warmed the kingdom for 15 years. He theorizes that if all the single people of the kingdom marry, surely the subsequent bridal hymns will please the sun into shining again. Kupava comes in and at first incoherently tells her story to the sympathetic Tsar: "Syerdtse to viznobiv." He has Misgir summoned, and Lehl and the others all come in as well. He orders Misgir to be banished. When Snegurochka appears, he recognizes that her coldness in rejecting love must be the cause of the sun's anger. The court ladies declare that Lehl would be the one who could win her heart, but Misgir proposes himself as a better candidate, and the Tsar agrees in the hopes of bringing the warmth of the sun back to his kingdom. He orders them all to gather for the weddings.



Act Three

In the forest, the villagers are dancing around Lehl and an increasingly interested Snegurochka, while Berendey and his court watch. He asks Lehl to sing and Lehl obliges ("Tuca so gromom"), with a song suggesting that should a girl be missing, seek her in the bushes. The Tsar says that one of the girls should reward Lehl with a kiss, but slighting the expectant Snegurochka, Lehl chooses and passionately kisses Kupava. All disperse, and Snegurochka returns, sadly. Misgir returns and ardently declares his love for her, pleading and offering her jewels. She runs away from him, and the Spirit of the Woods creates an illusion, blocking the path as he tries to chase her. Lehl and Kupava return and sing a passionate love duet: "Nasilu ya tebya." Snegurochka emerges and accuses Kupava of betraying her, but Lehl laughingly replies that Kupava actually knows how to love, and they leave together. As their voices are heard offstage, Snegurochka calls for help from Spring.



Act Four

In a valley, Snegurochka confides her wish for love to Spring, who adorns her daughter with flowers but warns her not to let the sun ever see her. Mizgir appears, and now it is she who declares her love. He responds in kind, but cannot understand her fear of the sun. When the Tsar, his court, and the villagers appear at sunrise, the Tsar blesses the couples. Snegurochka and Misgir declare their love and ask for his blessing, but as the sun begins to warm the valley, she melts away completely, whereupon Misgir throws himself into the lake. The Tsar cannot lament them since their deaths have brought an end to the coldness, and all sing in praise of the sun and its warmth, hoping for an abundant harvest at last.

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