Katharina Mayberg
Early 18th-century Krakow: The poor student Simon works as a travelling musician in order to finance his studies, and the Polish freedom fighter Jan is on the run from Saxon troops. They meet in the carriage of Count Kovalska, where they fall in love with the Count’s daughters Laura and Bronislava.
Thomas Holinka has returned home from war and captivity. In the absence of a suitable home, he finds himself in what seems to be an abandoned monastery. When the nuns return, a conflict is inevitable because Holinka is addicted to alcohol and gambling .
Shortly after WWII, the DEFA Studios produced a series of operas and operettas which belonged to the classical German musical heritage. This enchanting film, the very first opera production of DEFA, stands out because of its lavish decor and costumes, its outstanding actors and their masterful voices of that time.
