What do you do when you're a pompous monarch and your advisors' advocate war? You set off to battle posthaste —but when you encounter a beautiful foe, military plotting turns to lovesick sighing. In this exotic and tuneful tale, the exquisite Queen of Shemakha entices bumbling King Dodon, who proves that there's no fool like an infatuated man. Enter a world where kisses are weapons and deceit is delightful, all buoyed up by the fantastic song of the Golden Cockerel. The music brims with Rimsky-Korsakov's signature sensual melodies, incandescent orchestrations, and razor-sharp wit.