 Their happiness ends when Lydia's brother Dimitri (Dalies Frantz) is killed after giving a seditious speech on the street by Cossacks led by Peter, whom Lydia recognizes.When she learns that her opera debut will be used as an opportunity to assassinate Peter and his father the general (C. Aubrey Smith), she makes Peter promise not to come or let his father come to the performance, pretending she would be too nervous with them watching.The two men attend anyway.