Le Corsaire

Act I

Scene 1

The corsairs' ship tries to escape from the pursuit of the mercenaries of Seyd Pasha, but crashes in the raging sea.

On the shore, the noble leader of the corsairs, Conrad, is unconscious. His friend, former slave Ali, is looking for survivors. Girls come ashore from a fishing village to collect gear, but they quickly forget about work and start having fun. Medora the Greek and Gulnara the Turkish are among them. Folding the nets, the friends notice an injured man — this is Conrad. He talks about his unsuccessful attack on slave ships and shipwreck; after that he loses consciousness again.

At this moment, Ali and the rest of the survivors return to the shore. The mercenaries are right behind them. Medora points the corsairs to a hidden boat. Ali thanks Medora and stays to help the injured. The mercenaries still catch up with them. A battle ensues, as a result of it the girls and the wounded corsairs are captured. The main mercenary Abdullah sells Medora, Gulnara and Ali to the slave trader Lankedem.

Scene 2

The life of the oriental bazaar is raging. Abdullah takes the captured corsairs to the front and closes them in a cage. Gulnara is bought by Seyd Pasha for his harem, and the same fate awaits Medora. In the midst of the bidding, strangers appear, they want to take part in trading.

Suddenly they throw off their burnouses — these are corsairs who came to the market to save their friends. Conrad frees the slaves and takes Lankedem prisoner to punish him. The corsairs are hiding, taking with them gold, fabrics and weapons. Abdullah missed everything and paid for it with his head.

Act II

Scene 3

Conrad, in love, shows Medora his possessions on the island of corsairs.

All slaves get their freedom. Ali takes revenge on Lankedem: posing as a slave trader, he makes the prisoner dance under the blows of the whip.

Medora is fascinated by Conrad and wants to stay on the island, but her friends want to go home to their families and lovers. The leader of the corsairs gives the girls some of the stolen gold. Birbanto is unhappy: he believes that wealth belongs only to corsairs. He calls down Conrad to a duel to challenge his supremacy, but loses.

Lankedem, taking the chance, persuades Birbanto, who harbours a grudge against Conrad, to take revenge on him. He offers to put the corsair leader to sleep and take Medora away to sell her to the Pasha.

Conrad is completely absorbed in the beautiful Greek woman. Unnoticed by the lovers, Lankedem pours a sleeping potion into their wine. Medora gives her lover a glass, and after the first sip Conrad crashes down. The girl seeks help from the corsairs, but gets into the hands of traitors. Lankedem is going to send the beauty to the harem.

At this time, Birbanto tries to kill the sleeping Conrad, but faithful Ali manages to stop him. Birbanto kills Ali blackguardly and goes after Lankedem. After waking up, Conrad realizes that his beloved has been kidnapped and his friend has been killed, and vows revenge.

Act III

Scene 4

Gulnara is sad in the chambers of Seyd Pasha. Pasha tries to woo her, but in vain. Lankedem appears with the kidnapped Medora and Birbanto hiding his face. Gulnara draws Medora to her. Birbanto shows Seyd Pasha Conrad's blade and swears allegiance.

Seyd Pasha appoints him in charge of the mercenaries instead of Abdullah.

Pilgrims pass through the Pasha's domain. Birbanto thinks they are corsairs in disguise and forces them to reveal their faces. The outraged elders demand that the arrogant mercenaries prostrate themselves and pray with them. Seyd Pasha offers them a rest in his palace.

The ruler wishes to see his new captive. Medora and Gulnara have become the jewels of the harem, they are like roses in a luxurious garden.

It turns out that the corsairs were still hiding among the pilgrims. They attack suddenly: Seyd Pasha calls for help, but still cannot wait for it.

Birbanto and Lankedem are captured by corsairs. Conrad is trying to figure out which one of them killed Ali. Having never learned the truth, he offers them a duel, in which Lankedem unexpectedly becomes the winner. The corsairs leave the slaver on the island with no way out, and they sail away to meet a new free life