The Piano Lesson

1865. Katharina goes to a ball in Moscow. There she meets again Tchaikowsky, her first and only love. The young, who is now married to wealthy Michael Iwanowitsch Murakin, a man she does not love, has not forgotten Piotr Illich, the (not yet) famous composer. Both are still in love with each other but Piotr is engaged to Nastassia, a dancer, while for her part Katharina cannot leave her husband. Tchaikowky's first love then decides to sacrifice her happiness to the success of the composer, sponsoring him in secret. Something Piotr will learn only years after. When Katharina finds herself free at last it is too late: Tchaikowsky is dying of cholera and she only has time to close his eyes.

A day in a man's life turns into a struggle against the specters of his family's past. To escape from the sick way of loving that runs in his blood, he must be able to love in his own way. Inspired by the ancient Greek Oedipus myth.

A woman caring for her terminally ill husband who she loves dearly develops feelings for his best friend who has come to assist her with their business. Will she resist the temptation?

Kirill Makarov has just graduated from university with a degree in architecture. With his whole life ahead of him and his beautiful fiancée Victoria, daughter of a rich and influential man, by his side, his future seems full of promise. However, Kirill does not want to use his future father-in-law's influence to get a job, and as he sticks to his principles, he begins to understand that his approach to life is very different to his fiancee's. He breaks off their engagement and on that same day meets Lena, a trainee teacher. Cut to ten years later, and Kirill is married to Lena with two children. Sadly he never made a success of his career, and the family survives on Lena's salary alone. Kirill's friend Oleg tries to persuade him to tender for a new architectural project in town, but Kirill realizes that, without the right connections, there is no point in even trying. Kirill often thinks about how different his life would have been had he married Victoria, and just as he reaches the point where he has convinced himself that breaking off their engagement was responsible for his demise, Kirill gets a chance to reverse his decision. When he wakes up the following morning, Kirill finds himself in a luxurious mansion. He is now the owner of a large and successful architectural firm and married to Victoria, he is a man of means and influence. Kirill is happy. His life is full of pleasure, and it appears that his dreams and ambitions have at last been realised. But will he want to return to his previous life, and will he be able to cope when faced with disappointment and unfulfilled ambition once more?

Conscientious objector Dan and student Sarah leave Berkeley for life in San Marino County, away from the horrors of city life. Moving to a sheep farm, the couple anticipates the birth of their first child as they enjoy the countryside. Dan had been a medical student, so they plan on natural childbirth. Their pleasure in pastoral life is ruined when her father, Jeffries, who has been a sailor away at sea for years, shows up to visit. Dan becomes jealous as he listens to them talk about their family and the past. Jeffries also taunts Dan for being a pacifist. At first amused by their escape back to nature, Jeffries is shocked when he learns that the two lovers are not married. Determined to take her away, he gets drunk and argues violently with Dan while Sarah runs outside. The melodramatic climax crescendos into an emotionfest of birth and death.