he curtain rises on a reception at the Pontevedrian Embassy in Paris, with the imminent arrival of Anna Glavari eagerly anticipated. Her beauty and recently acquired fortune make her extremely attractive to the assembled male population.

The Pontevedrian Ambassador, Baron Zeta, is determined that she will marry a patriot rather than a Parisian, and summons his attaché Count Danilo Danilovitsch to court the lady. However, the pair have had a previous liaison which ended in acrimony.

Unknown to the Ambassador, his wife Valencienne is having a flirtatious affair with the influential Parisian Count Camille de Rosillon. They are in danger of being found out since Valencienne has lost her fan on which Camille has written of his love.

All these romantic entanglements are due to come to a head at the magnificent party held by Anna in her gardens.

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