Kashchey The Deathless

Prologue

Imprisoned by the evil wizard Kashchey in his gloomy domain, the beautiful Princess Tsarevna Nenaglyadnaya Krasa languishes in captivity. Nights and days, dreams and reality became mixed up in her imagination…

Scene one
The yard of Kashchey’s chamber

Every day fades the hope of the Princess to return home and see her beloved Prince Ivan-Korolevich. She longs for him so much.

Kashchey mocks Tsarevna’s grief and demands that she entertains him with her singing. The Princess, however, is not in the mood. She pleads with the wizard to let her look at her beloved Prince even if it is only just for once. Kashchey gives her a magic mirror, which foretells the future. Tsarevna is upset with what she sees in the mirror: her fiancé is in the arms of the dark-haired beauty Kashcheyevna, the daughter of Kashchey. The wizard also glances at the mirror and, startled by what he has seen, breaks it. He is afraid that Ivan could bring him death, which is hidden in a tear of his daughter, whose heart is hard and cold.

Kashchey awakens the Storm-Hero Burya-Bogatyr, incarcerated in a dungeon, and orders him to fly to Kashcheyevna and ask how safely she keeps his death. Secretly, the Princess asks the Storm-Hero to find Ivan-Korolevich and let him know of her captivity. The Storm rushes out.

Kashchey returns Tsarevna to her chamber and sends a snowstorm. The skulls start glowing in the wild party of the wintry night…

Scene two
The magic garden around Kashcheyevna’s chamber

Kashcheyevna is preparing to meet yet another knight seeking Kashchey’s death. “Flowers, flowers, give me your charms!” she keeps chanting over the magic potion of poppies brewing in the cauldron. With her sword she has taken many lives of those who have drunk the potion, lured into her garden. She is going to do the same with the next uninvited guest.

The Prince Ivan-Korolevich looks around, astonished by the beauty of the garden, where he was led by the glimmer of fireflies. Delighted, he takes the goblet from the hands of his hostess. Having drunk the magic potion, the knight finds himself overpowered by evil charms. In the dark-haired beauty he sees the image of his beloved, his thoughts become entangled, and Tsarevna’s face fades. The Prince falls asleep. Kashcheyevna is about to pierce him with a sword, but stops in hesitation: for the first time compassion has prowled into her heart.

Suddenly the Storm-Hero bursts in, and with a gust of squally wind blows the sword out of Kashcheyevna’s hands. She is enraged: the foolish Storm has interfered with her plan! The breath of fresh wind awakens Ivan. Horrified, he recognizes in the dark-haired hostess the daughter of Kashchey. In the Storm’s song the Prince picks up his fiancé’s call for help. Despite Kashcheyevna’s urge to stay, Ivan-Korolevich saddles the Storm and heads for Kashchey’s domain.

Scene three
The yard of Kashchey’s chamber

Kashchey’s kingdom is even gloomier and more forbidding now: the wizard has to be sure no one penetrates his realm. Tsarevna’s last hope of deliverance vanished. Her lullaby is full of desperation and curses at evil Kashchey.

The Storm-Hero brings Ivan to the wizard’s chamber. Inspired by the reunion, the couple tries to escape the gloomy kingdom. The monsters guarding the chamber appear. With the sword the Prince makes his way.

All of a sudden, the fugitives are stopped by Kashcheyevna. For the first time Kashchey’s daughter has fallen in love and is tormented by jealousy. Many knights were ruined by her beauty, but this time her charms are impotent. She is ready to let Tsarevna go, if the Prince stays with her. But the Princess doesn’t need her life without her beloved.

Smelling trouble, Kashchey awakens. In the yard, he berates his daughter: why is the Prince alive? A scary suspicion enters his mind: is it possible that his daughter has fallen in love and is ready to reveal the secret of his immortality?

Kashcheyevna, however, doesn’t care about Kashchey’s death. Her heart is broken and she can’t help crying. She knows that her tears will bring death to her father and herself, but for the first time in the heart of the dark-haired beauty there is no place for hatred. Kashcheyevna bids farewell to Ivan and turns into a beautiful poppy flower, which petals are exuding tears.

Damning everyone, Kashchey falls dead. The gloomy kingdom transforms. The sweethearts are headed into the world of light, freedom, and love.

Epilogue
Tsarevna comes to her senses. She is still in Kashchey’s domain….