Libretto: Nikolai Volkov based on the poem of the same title by Alexander Pushkin
Choreography: People’s Artist of the USSR, laureate of the State Prize of the USSR Rostislav Zakharov
Staging: People’s Artist of Belarus Yury Trayan
Composer: People’s Artist of the USSR, laureate of State Prizes of the USSR Boris Asafiev
Musical director: Honoured Art Worker of the Republic of Belarus Nikolai Koliadko
Designer: People's Artist of Russia, laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Belarus Vyacheslav Okunev
Conductor: Alexey Verhoven 

Running time: 2 hours
Premiere: 28 September 2007
Revival premiere: 21 May 2015

Мария – Ирина Еромкина

Зарема – Александра Чижик

Гирей – Юрий Ковалев

Вацлав – Денис Шпак

Нурали – Владимир Руда

Act I
Scene I
The old park near Potozky`s Castle. It is a big holiday here today, the Birthday of young Maria the Duke`s daughter. Maria leaves the guests and meets her fiancé Vaslav in the park. They say to each other the words of love with emotions. All of a sudden a Tatar warrior appears for a while and disappears quickly. The guests notice nothing. The guests enter the garden with the sounds of solemn Polonaise. The Polonaise changes with Cracovienne and Mazurka.
A wounded polish warrior appears suddenly and informs that the Castle is surrounded by Tatars. The Duke calls up the men to take the arms. The women seek shelter in the Castle. The fight begins. 
The Castle is on fire. Maria and Vaslav come off unhurt by miracle and run away from the flaming Castle. At the same time the Tatars` leader – Crimean Khan Girey – bursts into the Castle like a shot. Amazed by Maria`s beauty he stops for a moment and dashes to her. Vaslav bars his way, but falls at once stabbed with a dagger.

Scene II
Harem of Khan Girey in Bakhchisarai Palace. The first among the Khan`s concubines, all young and beautiful women, is the beautiful Georgian Zarema, the Girey`s beloved wife.
The battle horns are heard. The army of Girey is back from the campaign. Khan`s concubines are meeting in excitement their master. Zarema is the first who rushes to him. But he doesn't notice her. She tries to attract his attention in vain. He thinks only about Maria, he loves only her. In despair Zarema looses consciousness.

Act II
Scene III
Maria`s room. Beautiful Khan`s slave languishes in captivity, guarded by an old servant. The whole world of rememberings about her native place, about Vaslav, appears in her memory. Maria`s dreams are interrupted by Girey`s coming. He implores the girl to accept his love and all the reaches that he owns. But Maria doesn`t love and will never fall in love with Girey, who has killed her beloved, relatives and friends.
Suddenly appear Zarema in Maria`s room. She tells Maria about her love to Girey and clasping the dagger to her bosom entreats Maria to give her back the Khan. Maria tells Zarema simply and sincerely that she will never fall in love with the Khan. Being reduced by Maria`s honesty, Zarema calms down. All of a sudden she sees the skull-cap forgotten by Girey. The flame of jealousy blazes up again. The servant calls for help.
Girey headily runs into the room. He dashes to Zarema trying to seize her hand but she manages to deliver the death-blow to Maria. The Khan in blind fury is ready to kill Zarema. But she goes towards the blade herself. By movement of hand he orders the guards to lead away Zarema.

Scene IV
The inner yard of the Bakhchisarai Palace. Girey can not forget Maria. Neither new campaigns nor beautiful concubines of his harem make him happy. 
The Commander Nurali, who just came back from war, leads new slaves in front of the Khan. But Girey pays no attention to them. He doesn`t look at Zarema as well when she is lead to execution. And even when the guards drop Zarema from the high rock into the abyss, his spiritual pain do not abate. He stays alone near the fountain of tears raised in memory of Maria.
The water purls in marble Dripping cool teardrops That never stop… The image of Maria appears again in front of Girey. He stretches hands to her. But there is no Maria – it is only a shadow, created by his imagination.

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