son, Vanya, pledge to defend the new tsar. Susanin blesses Sobinin and Antonida on their upcoming wedding when a detachment of Polish soldiers bursts in to demand the tsar's whereabouts. Instead, Susanin sends Vanya to warn the tsar while Susanin leads the soldiers off the trail into the woods. Antonida is devastated. Sobinin gathers some men to go on a rescue mission. Act 4 A dense forest Sobinin reassures his men of the rightness of their mission. When night falls, in a part of the forest near a monastery, Vanya knocks at the gates and alerts the inhabitants to spirit the tsar away. Susanin has led the suspicious Polish troops into an impassable, snow-covered area of the forest. The Poles sleep while Susanin waits for the dawn and bids farewell to his children. A blizzard sets in, and when day breaks, the Poles awake. They realise that Susanin has deceived them and so kill him. Epilogue Red Square, Moscow. Across the stage walks a crowd of people, celebrating the triumph of the new tsar. Alone in their own solemn procession, Antonida, Sobinin and Vanya mourn Susanin. A detachment of Russian troops comes upon them, discovers their connection with Susanin and comforts them. As the scene changes to Red Square, the people proclaim glory to the tsar and to Susanin's memory. Principal arias and numbers Overture Act 1 Cavatina and Rondo: "To the field, to the field," «В поле, в поле» (Antonida) Act 2 Chorus: Polonaise, Полонез Dance: Krakowiak, Краковяк Dance: Waltz, Вальс Dance: Mazurka, Мазурка Act 3 Song: "When they killed the little bird's mother," «Как мать убили у малого птенца» (Vanya) Act 4 Aria: "Brother in the darkness we are not able to find our enemy," No. 18; (Sobinine) Aria: "They sense the truth!", «Чуют правду!» No. 21; (Susanin) Epilogue Chorus: "Glory, Glory to you, our Russian Tsar!", «Славься, славься, нашъ русскiй Царь!» (People) Orchestral excerpts heard in the concert hall consist largely of the overture and the Polish numbers of the second act. Another excerpt that is also used by concert bands and military bands is the Slavsya finale arranged for wind band as a fanfare. It is famous for being used in the Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 and in other military parades since then. It is also a sung piece by choral groups. The finale piece was adapted for and has been also part of the