ACT I
Tolstoy. A battle from the Bhagavad-Gita is reenacted, as a prelude to an outline of the philosophical basis of Satyagraha, seen in operation at Gandhi’s ashram, Tolstoy Farm. The Satyagrahi resist British rule, and gain strength as a political and religious movement.
ACT II
Tagore. Gandhi walks through an angry crowd, and is protected only by the wife of the police chief. The printing and distribution of Indian Opinion, the Satyagrahi newspaper, helps the collective resistance of the group, culminating in the burning of registration cards in defiance of the government.
ACT III
King. Gandhi urges miners to strike as part of the protest against the government. Their agreement reflects the growing power of Satyagraha. The presence of American police dressed in the uniforms of Martin Luther King’s time links the drama to the ongoing struggle for racial and political liberation, a keynote of the opera.