In the opera the barber Ivan Yakovlevich is seen shaving the Major. In the morning Ivan wakes up and his wife gives him some fresh bread and onion. When he cuts the bread open he finds a nose inside. His wife screams and yells at her husband. She chases him out of the house. He runs along the street with the nose, feeling very embarrassed. He throws the nose in the river, but a policeman catches him. He tries unsuccessfully to bribe him.