The Firebird —

Under a moonlit sky the Firebird appears before the immortal Köschei in his enchanted garden, both creatures exuding dark, magical powers. Their taunting of one another is interrupted with the appearance of two arrows, heralding the arrival of an unknown guest.

Prince Ivan, lost at nightfall while out hunting, finds himself in the enchanted garden. The Firebird, curious of the intruder, stalks him and on seeing his fascination with her drops one of her feathers for the prince to claim. The magical feather will allow him to summon her when he needs aid or protection. She disappears into the night sky watched by the prince.

Prince Ivan finds himself interrupted by Köschei who appears with his new captive, a beautiful princess. Soon more of Köschei’s captured maidens enter the garden and wait for their enslaver to finally leave them alone in peace. Once gone, the maidens play with a golden apple growing from a gnarled tree in the garden belonging to Köschei. Prince Ivan appears suddenly, startling the princess, and in turn learns that the garden is the domain of the immortal Köschei, who has captured them all under a powerful enchantment. The prince has never seen such beauty as that of the princess and they seal their vow to one another with a kiss. Daybreak heralds, and the princess and her companions are swept away, leaving the prince once again alone.

He searches the garden in vain and picks a golden apple from the tree and triggers an alarm that sets Köschei’s entourage of creatures to emerge from the darkness, and finally the immortal ruler himself confronts Prince Ivan.

Köschei challenges the prince showing him that he exerts control over the princess and that she belongs to him. However, Prince Ivan waves the feather given to him by the Firebird and true to her word she arrives to protect him.

The Firebird and Köschei vie for dominance resulting in the Firebird casting a spell over Köschei and his entourage, causing them to enter a deep sleep. She then leads Prince Ivan to the gnarled tree-stump and reveals to him an egg containing Köschei’s soul, and the key to his undoing. Awakening from his magical slumber, Köschei begs for his soul to be saved only for the princess to smash the egg and finally destroy Köschei forever. Released from her enchantment, the princess and Prince Ivan are finally together. The Firebird appears, blazing brightly and flying high above the world she can now claim as her own.