Characters:
Conrad – a corsair
Birbanto – Conrad’s friend, a corsair
Ali – Conrad’s servant
Medora – A slave
Gulnara – A slave
Isaak Lankedem – slave trader
Seyd Pasha – local nobleman
Pirates, slaves
Prologue
In the midst of stormy hurricanes, the corsairs' ship sails with swollen sails toward the east coast.
Act I
Scene 1
The market square
The corsairs, together with their friends and led by Conrad, arrive at the market square in Adrianople.
Fanfares announce the approach to the square of the rich and influential Seyd Pasha, who is preparing to make new purchases to fill his harem.
Aware of Seyd Pasha's stinginess, Conrad suggested that his friends disguise themselves as buyers and that they themselves take part in the auction and raise the prices of the girls on offer.
Seyd Pasha with his retinue and the accompanying slave trader Isaac Lankendem appears in the square. First, Lankendem offers Seyd Pasha Gulnara – a carefree beauty with inexhaustible energy, which he buys while bargaining with Lankendem.
The next person Lankendem brings to the square is a girl of dazzling beauty – the Greek Medora. Seyd Pasha, like everyone around him, is shocked by her beauty.
When Conrad and Medora's eyes meet, the real world no longer exists for them. As a sign of the sudden burning love between them, Conrad presents Medora with a lucky amulet bracelet that will protect her and bring her happiness.
Seyd Pasha, without bargaining, buys Medora for his harem and retires with his retinue.
The auctions are over, the market square gets deserted. The corsairs are the last to leave.
Scene 2
The coastal cave
At the corsairs' abode, Conrad, hitherto untouched by love, is confused by what is happening to him and begs his friends to leave him alone.
In dreams of Medora, he falls asleep.
Scene 3
The lively garden
Conrad has a dream of a magical flowering garden, where he and Medora are intoxicated by their feelings, happy and carefree.
Scene 4
The coastal cave
When he wakes up, Conrad realizes that his life without Medora is unthinkable, and he swears that he will find her at all costs, so that he will never part with her again.
Act II
Scene 5
The Palace of Seyd Pasha
Joy and merriment reign in the harem of Seyd Pasha. The women, including Gulnara, are preparing for their master's arrival. Only Medora is sad and sorrowful: she has no strength to forget the beautiful Conrad.
Her friends ask her to share with them the reason for her grief, and also to tell them about the bracelet she never parts with. Medora tells them about the stranger, who suddenly aroused love in her, but a meeting with whom she is no longer written, and to forget about him is beyond her power.
The arrival of Seyd Pasha brings vanity to the harem.
All of Pasha's attention is focused on Medora, with the appearance of which he has lost all interest in his other wives. Gulnara tries to distract Seyd Pasha from Medora by dances of beautiful odalisques, who manage to immerse him in sleep and they, together with Gulnara, take him to his rooms.
Midnight
Medora is left alone and has no strength to think about anything but her beloved.
Conrad secretly enters the palace of Seyd Pasha.The happiness of the lovers is boundless.Gulnaraappears.
Medora was in utter despair, realizing the impasse of her situation. If Seyd Pasha learns of her disappearance, he will immediately pursue the lovers with guards, and then Conrad will be doomed.
Gulnara offers his plan: to change into Medora's clothes and take care to distract Seyd Pasha. Thus, it will enable the lovers to gain time and hide from the pursuers.
Medora and Conrad leave the palace, and Gulnara, in Medora's clothes, is left alone in expectation of Seyd Pasha's night visit. When he comes, Gulnara shows wisdom and resourcefulness and successfully carries out her plans. The lovers are in safety.
Scene 6
The coastal cave
The corsairs greet Conrad and his beloved Medora and entertain them with their dances. The lovers are happy and swear to each other that they will be together for the rest of their days.
Epilogue
Medora and Conrad fly with a headwind in the sails to their happiness.
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