Synopsis

Act I

Lalla Roukh, daughter of the Moghul emperor Aurangzeb, has been promised in marriage to
the King of Samarkand (in Bukhara, today Uzbekistan). The latter has sent Baskir to Delhi to
accompany and assure the safety of the young princess, her lady-in-waiting Mirza, and her retinue
on their journey to Samarkand. On the way, a mysterious minstrel, eluding all attempts by Baskir
to chase him away, woos the princess with his songs. Thanks to the complicity of Mirza, who
distracts Baskir from his watch, he is able to declare his love to Lalla Roukh.

Act II

Having arrived at the summer palace of the King of Samarkand, Lalla Roukh, who already
had misgivings about her wedding engagement, resolves to break it, return to Delhi, and marry
the minstrel. Slaves bring presents and jewels from the king, which she refuses. Instead, she
asks Baskir to inform the king of her decision to break her engagement. Baskir is afraid that
such a message will cost him his life, but Lalla Roukh tells him that if he refuses, she will tell
the king herself. Baskir chances on the minstrel and arrests him. Baskir then blackmails the
minstrel into renouncing the princess in exchange for his life. The minstrel feigns acceptance
of Baskir’s terms in order to see Lalla Roukh one last time. They renew their love pledges, and
Lalla Roukh prepares to renounce her engagement to the king before his court. Realizing that he
has been duped, Baskir orders the guards to arrest the minstrel and threatens Lalla Roukh with
the minstrel’s execution, should she carry out her decision. Thereupon, the king makes his grand
entrance with all his courtiers. He is none other than the minstrel, now in royal regalia, who had
wanted to discover if Lalla Roukh would love him for his own merit rather than for his wealth.

-- Nizam Kettaneh