Part 1

Shortly before traveling incognito to Saardam for a stint of industrial espionage, Tsar Peter Michaelov visits a local shipyard. During his speech, the worker Peter Ivanov takes advantage of the life guards’ distraction to make his escape (“Get to work!”).

Two years later, both Peters are working at the shipyard owned by Widow Browe in Saardam, without recognizing one another. The realities of their lives could not be more different: Ivanov has problems with his girlfriend Marie, the progressive niece of Mayor van Bett (“Jealousy is a scourge”), while the Tsar receives word from home that his people is planning to rise up against his regime (“Betrayed! Betrayed by you!”).

Because the government has gotten wind of the Tsar’s presence, Mayor van Bett is tasked with identifying him. He is completely overwhelmed with this task (“O sancta Justitia!”). Leading a razzia at Browe’s shipyard, van Bett fails to find out which Peter is the Tsar (“Rest from your work”) and wrongly decides it’s Ivanov. The latter is so afraid of being recognized as a stranger and losing Marie that he does not contradict van Bett sufficiently (“Forgive me if I do not dare yet”).

At the wedding of Browe’s son, the envoys of England and France are also searching undercover for the Tsar, because they want to do business with him. The Frenchman makes Michaelov reveal himself. When their conversation threatens to be discovered, the Frenchman quickly sings about love (“Farewell, my Flemish girl”) —and Ivanov promptly believes the song is addressed to Marie, whereupon the two of them break up. Marie voices her anger about men (“A pretty virgin’s cheeks blush charmingly”).

By now, the Russian envoy has joined the action. The Englishman and van Bett believe that Ivanov is the Tsar; the Frenchman and the Russian think it’s Michaelov (“The work we are undertaking”) —and both sides are negotiating treaties. 

While in both Peters’ homeland, revolution breaks out, shaking the Tsar’s inner circle, van Bett loses track of all the foreigners at the wedding party. One by one, the envoys reveal their identity, humiliating van Bett. When he finally tries to ascertain Michaelov’s identity, the latter  puts up a fight. A general brawl ensues, ending the festivities (“Finale”).

Part 2

In order to celebrate the presence of world politics in Saardam, van Bett rehearses a cantata with the local chorus (“Hail, glorious day when you appeared in our midst”).

In the meantime, Peter Michaelov has visitors from home: his inner circle tells him to return and bring peace to the situation at home. Michaelov realizes how lonely he is as a ruler (“Once, I played with sceptre, crown and star”). When Marie recognizes him, he orders her to keep playing the game, pretending that Ivanov is the fake Tsar. She accepts, for love of Ivanov (“May a lowly maid dare”).

Ivanov hands Michaelov a letter of safeguard from the Englishman, enabling him to escape. As a reward, Michaelov promises to make Ivanov an ambassador as soon as his plan has worked. At the great peace summit of Saardam, all the envoys meet and watch the show programme curated by van Bett, from the cantata to a clog dance (“Ballet”). However, the inevitable happens: the ruse fails, and the
true Tsar is revealed …