Lina and the Wolf celebrates the resilient spirit and relatively little-known life of Lina Codina, first wife of the celebrated Russian composer Serge Prokofiev. Lina celebrates her 91st birthday with her two sons, and reminisces about her life with Serge. While living in Paris as part of the artistic elite, Serge is persuaded to return to Russia, a propaganda coup for the Bolsheviks, who view Lina as problematic, too Western. He falls in love with Mira, a writer half his age, whom he hopes will help him politically, and finally cedes to Mira's demand for a divorce. Loosing his protection, Lina is soon after arrested as a spy and sent to the Gulag. She never sees or hears from Serge again, and is released 8 years later, after his death, through the help of Shostakovich. Suffering from flashbacks of life in the camps, Lina continues to cherish Serge's memory.

Singers include 3 women and 4 men, and there are 2 actors (a man and a woman) for various small roles (the actors can be replaced by singers). Principal singing roles include Lina, Mira, and Serge Prokofiev. Recordings are of the vocal score version.

ACT 1: PEACE

ACT 2: YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO

ACT 3: THE BLOSSOMING POET

ACT 4: WAR

ACT 5: LINA'S WISHES

Photo credit Sergei Prokofiev Estate.