The trials and tribulations of Natalka and Petro. The sweethearts plan to get married, however, Natalka's father does not approve of the marriage because Petro's not affluent enough to keep Natalka in the manner he thought that she should be kept. Petro goes off to earn the required fortune. With no news from Petro for five years, Natalka succumbs to her mother's wishes and finally accepts her next offer of marriage, which happens to come from an old, but relatively wealthy government official.

A Ukrainian comic opera with spoken dialogue in three acts with music and libretto by the composer Semen Hulak-Artemovsky (1813–1873). The orchestration has subsequently been rewritten by composers such as Reinhold Glière and Heorhiy Maiboroda. This is one of the best-known Ukrainian comic operas depicting national themes.