scene for a grand carnival celebration in 1588 Salzburg, where the young archbishop Wolf Dietrich is expected to attend. The townsfolk, led by the Mayor Ludwig Alt and supported by various council members, are fervently preparing to impress the archbishop, focusing on festivities and the notable beauty of Salome Alt, the mayor's daughter. Amidst the festivities and the high spirits, the narrative hints at political tensions, expectations from the ruler, and personal ambitions, culminating in a dramatic turn when Salome is kidnapped, leaving the townspeople in shock and spurring her father into a desperate quest for justice. This sets the stage for intricate explorations of power dynamics, social class, and individual desires in Salzburg's historical context. (This is an automatically generated summary.)