Luther's bachelor lifestyle did not meet von Bora's standards, and she took his domestic affairs in hand. A sign of the love that grew up between them, Luther's will declared complete trust in Katharina to care for their children, even in the event that she should remarry. This uncommon faith in his wife – not only unconventional, but technically illegal in the sixteenth century – distinguishes this marriage from all the others which we know of at the time. Because the opera describes von Bora's entire life, many people appear in the performance, some only briefly. Therefore, one singer/actor can assume several roles. Performers may also be brought in from the opera house chorus. "Germany 1504–1523 within the walls of Cloister Marienthron in Nimbschen" When Katharina is five, shortly after the death of her mother, her father takes her to a convent and tenderly consigns her to the nuns for care, which he can no longer provide. From this time forward she is taken care of by her aunt, Tante Lenchen, who is also a nun. At the convent, a young nun, Sophie, befriends the child. However, when the Mother Superior learns that Sophie is pregnant, Sophie must say a hasty farewell to young Katharina and suffer a severe punishment, which the child Katharina unfortunately witnesses. Years later, as a young woman, Katharina discovers a pamphlet written by firebrand Martin Luther. The pamphlet urges monks and nuns to leave their cloisters, marry and take up secular lives. It circulates among other nuns in the convent, and six of them, evading the scrutiny of the Mother Superior, plot an escape. The daring escape, with the help of an agent of Luther, occurs during an Easter-eve ceremony. "Lutherstadt Wittenberg 1523–1525" The six runaway nuns are brought to Wittenburg, where, at a party in their honor, Katharina tells the story of their flight. The visiting King of Denmark, attending the party, presents Katharina with a ring in recognition of her courage as leader of the escape plot. Later at the party, Katharina and one of the guests, Hieronymus Baumgärtner, an alumnus of Wittenberg University, profess their love for each other. Their courtship is secretly observed by an enemy of Luther's, Bishop Adolf von Anhalt. Hieronymus leaves Wittenberg to return home and ask his father's permission to marry Katharina; but Hieronymus never returns, and Katharina languishes.