In the end of the 18th century, Count Lef Fyodor and his wife, Anna, great opera singer, were shot to death because Count Fyodor protested against the tzar. Their daughter Rosalinda grows up as farmer couple' s daughter. Adrian, a cossack, teaches her how to read. Rosalinda gets to know the letters on the rear of her pendant top read "To Anna, from Lef Fyodor". ...

When she is 12 years of age, she meets Rostov, a music teacher, at the landlord's house. He is impressed by her talent of singing. The old landlord is killed in the accident, and the new one is very cruel. Rosalinda wants become a singer in Petersburg and escapes from the village. On her way to Petersburg, Rasalinda meets Count Leo Constantin in a tavern. He gives her money for traveling to Petersburg. She works in a tavern in Petersburg, where she meets Leo again. Leo takes her to his mansion and helps her become an elegant lady. Leo has been engaged with Nataly since he was a child by his parents' decision. When Rosalinda goes to an opera theater with Leo, they meet Nataly and she suggests Rosalinda sing in front of a professor of the Imperial music academy in Nataly's house. Rosalinda sings in front of the professor and she gets accepted by the academy. She meets Rostov in Petersburg again. He has known that she is Count Fyodor's daughter since he saw the letters on her pendant top and he takes her to her grandmother's house.

The tzar is being threatened by a group whose leader is called "Black Hawk", and he orders Leo to catch Black Hawk. But he actually disagrees with the tzar's policy and seeks a chance to start a revolution. He is in love with Rosalinda, and he cancels the engagement with Nataly, who is still in love with him. Nataly makes a confession at the church that Leo is a revolutionist. The priest informs it of the tzar, and Leo gets caught. Rosalinda asks the tzar not to execute Leo. The tzar tells her that he won't kill Leo if she catches Black Hawk. But Black Hawk is Adrian. Even though she's in love with Leo, she can't betray Adrian. Both Leo and Nataly are killed by the tzar's soldiers. Adrian and Rasalinda return their home village and get married.