The beautiful dancer Barberina lies at the foot of Europe. Frederick II, King of Prussia, too, wants to engage her in his opera house. When she refuses, he lets her take her under military surveillance to Berlin, forces her to appear, and tries so eagerly for her that a love-story seems to arise between them. However, when Friedrich goes to war with Austria, Barberina falls in love with the secretary baron of Cocceji. After a concert on the occasion of the King's return, she wants to flee abroad with Cocceji.