[1] Prokofiev wrote the opera in piano score between November 1915 and April 1916, and completed the orchestration in January 1917.

The opera did not receive its first performance until 1929, after it had been extensively revised (in 1927),[3] at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Brussels.

[4] The original version of the opera was finally staged in 2001 at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky.

Alexei loves Polina, and informs her that he observed her directions to pawn her jewelry and gamble with the funds.

The General is enamoured of the much younger demimondaine Blanche, and enters with her, the Marquis and Mr Astley, an Englishman.

He is chided that someone of his modest income should not gamble, but Alexei dismisses the idea of saving money with a caustic diatribe.

Polina challenges Alexei to prove his love, and to see if he would truly do anything for her, by making a pass at a German Baroness sitting in the park.

Because of the high social status of the Baron and Baroness, the General is keen to avoid any sense of impropriety.

The General predicts Babulenka's death that same evening, but immediately afterward, her voice is heard, as she has arrived at the hotel, in good health.

At the casino, Babulenka has been losing her money at the roulette tables, and ignoring all pleas to stop.

Prince Nilsky, another potential suitor to Blanche, then arrives and further enumerates Babulenka's losses.

The Marquis says he is selling the General's properties mortgaged to him, but will forgive fifty thousand for Polina's sake, after which he will consider their relationship over.

Rushing to the casino, Alexei has a run of good luck, winning twenty times in a row and breaking the bank.