Count Azancheev comes to his engagement party in musical Pavlovsk. Katharina, the daughter of a poor Austrian doctor, falls in love with him at first sight. She witnesses the engagement of Count Azancheev and Anna Anchukova. Katarina has no hope for reciprocity, but she cannot cope with her feelings. At night she sits on the window, looks at the lights of the musical Pavlovsk and imagines herself dancing together with Count Azancheev. Count Azancheev returns from the war and learns about his fiancee’s betrayal. He travels to Pavlovsk at night and finds the bride in the arms of her lover. Count Azancheev wants to kill both, but retreats when he hears someone humming “Pavlovsk Waltz”. “Pavlovsk Waltz” subjugates him to its will. He follows the sound of the melody and sees the outline of a girl. The girl is covered in snow and dances alone on a frozen lake. He hears a girl promise to love someone all her life. Without seeing her face, Count Azancheev gives the girl his wedding ring and leaves. Obsessed with revenge, he decides to buy himself a wife for three months and, with her on his arm, appear at his wedding with Anna. The choice falls on Katarina.