Act I

The Pontevedrian embassy, Paris. The Balkan state of Pontevedro is facing financial ruin. Its best hope is that Hanna Glavari, a young rich widow, should marry a Pontevedrian and keep her fortune in Pontevedro, rather than risk marrying a Parisian and losing the money to France. The Pontevedrian Embassy holds a state ball to which Hanna and her former lover, Danilo Danilovich are invited. Before her marriage into wealth, Hanna was a poor farm girl whom Danilo’s uncle forbade him to marry. Now the pressure is on to reunite them in marriage. But as Danilo loved the poor farm girl, can he love the wealthy widow?

Act II

Hanna’s home in Paris, the next day. Hanna holds a Pontevedrian party. Valencienne, the young wife of the Pontevedrian ambassador, Baron Zeta, continues a fragile romance with a young Frenchman, Camille, who has written a dangerous confession of love on her fan. The intrigue deepens when Hanna and Camille are discovered in the summer house and the hope of her reunion with Danilo appears doomed.

Act III

Maxim’s Nightclub, later the same evening. Hanna has reserved the popular nightspot, where she sparks Danilo’s anger by her coquettish antics with the grisettes. The various love intrigues are resolved by vital discoveries about Valencienne’s fan – and the will of Hanna’s late husband!