SUMMARY
Act 1
The shore of the Danube under Turkish possession. The yard of the Cossack Ivan Karas.
Oksana, Karas’ adopted daughter, yearns for her native land. She is waiting for her beloved Cossack Andrii, who must cross the Danube tonight and deliver important news from Ukraine.
Karas returns home. He, like other Cossacks, dreams of breaking free from Turkish captivity. Together with his friends, he discusses a plan to escape to his native land. Of course, they also drank a glass.
Odarka appears. Karas tries to avoid meeting with his cantankerous wife and wants to hide. But he fails. A quarrel erupts between the spouses.
In the yard of Ivan Karas appears the Sultan, dressed in regular Turkish clothes. He decided to discover the plans and thoughts of the Cossacks. From a conversation with Karas, he learns that he really wants to see the Sultan and talk about the discontent of the Cossacks with life in captivity.
The Sultan promises to give the Cossack such an opportunity. To celebrate, Karas wants to drink to his guest’s health and runs into the house for a glass. The Sultan orders his servant Selikh-aha, a lord from his retinue, to invite Karas to the palace.
Karas comes back. Selikh-aha gives him Turkish clothes and comes up with a Turkish name, under which Karas can freely enter the palace.
A Ukrainian song is playing, reminding all of their native homeland. Young people have fun walking about. Turkish guards appear and the street instantly becomes empty.
Oksana leaves the house. She is not pleased with the festivities; she is worried about the fate of her beloved Andrii. Waiting for her desired moment of their meeting, she sings of her feelings for him. Finally, Andrii appears. Both swear fidelity and try to secretly escape from Turkish captivity, but are ambushed.
Act 2
Odarka along with her neighbors recalls a carefree youth.
Karas returns satisfied - in the palace he met with the Sultan and told him the truth of the life of the Cossacks and that they would not continue to obey the Turkish authorities.
Seeing Odarka, he decides to play a trick on her, pretending to be a Turk. Frightened in earnest, the woman thinks that Ivan is crazy. Karas declares his intention to part with her, marry a Turkish woman, and start a harem.
A Turkish guard appears on the square, led by the imam Ibrahim-Ali. They lead the caught fugitives - Oksana and Andrii. The imam informs those present that he has appeared with the firman - the decree of the Sultan, according to which he orders to collect all the Cossacks and find Ivan Karas among them. All are in suspense.
The imam reads the decree of the Sultan. The Cossacks are allowed to return to their homeland, and the fugitives Oksana and Andrii are granted pardon. All are filled with joy.
The Cossacks glorify their homeland.
With a prayer they prepare to return to their native Ukraine.