The Death of Stalin

On March 1, 1953, Joseph Stalin issues an urgent demand for a recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23. The director of Radio Moscow is given the task to secure this performance, which will prove to be a monumental challenge.

To the director's dismay, the live performance of the concerto was not captured. Faced with the impending wrath of Stalin, the director scrambles to remedy the situation by refilling the audience and finding a new conductor.

Maria Yudina, the pianist, initially resists taking part in the dictator's demand to perform. However, under pressure and bribery, she reluctantly agrees to play for the anxious gathering.

While chaos unfolds in the music world, key members of the Central Committee gather at Kuntsevo Dacha. Lavrentiy Beria reveals to Nikita Khrushchev and Deputy Chairman Georgy Malenkov that Vyacheslav Molotov is targeted for purge.

Stalin finally receives the concert recording but discovers a scathing note penned by Yudina criticizing him. Initially amused, his mood shifts dramatically as he suffers a cerebral hemorrhage.

The following morning, Stalin is found unconscious by a housemaid. The news sends shockwaves through the Central Committee, who quickly convene to take action despite lacking competent medical personnel.

After experiencing a moment of clarity, Stalin dies due to the lack of adequate medical support. The Central Committee must now navigate the ensuing power vacuum left in the aftermath of his death.

With Stalin gone, Beria grabs control and orders the NKVD to eliminate the security positions previously held by the Soviet Army. This consolidates his power while also sowing distrust among the remaining leaders.

Beria begins to manipulate the remaining Central Committee members, particularly by swooping in to gain the favor of Molotov and Stalin’s children, Svetlana and Vasily, to tighten his grip on power.

Khrushchev spots an opportunity to undermine Beria by allowing transport into Moscow. This decision leads to a tragic incident where 1,500 citizens are killed, intensifying the blame game within the committee.

Marshal Georgy Zhukov pledges his loyalty to Khrushchev and agrees to support a coup against Beria, contingent on timing after Stalin's funeral. This alliance sets the stage for a climactic power struggle.

After strategically executing their plan, Zhukov leads an armed confrontation during a Committee meeting, resulting in Beria's arrest. This moment marks a critical turning point in the power dynamics within the Soviet leadership.

In a swift trial, Khrushchev reveals Beria's numerous crimes and sentences him to death. Despite Beria's desperate pleas for leniency, he is executed immediately, illustrating the brutal nature of power struggles.

Khrushchev decides to send Svetlana away to Vienna, while keeping close tabs on Vasily. Concurrently, he realizes that Malenkov is too weak to lead effectively, tightening his own rule over the party.

In 1956, as the new political regime stabilizes, Maria Yudina returns to performing Concerto No. 23. She plays to an audience that includes a now powerful Khrushchev and the attentive future leader, Brezhnev.