In the prison infirmary Goryanchikov is teaching Aljeja to read the bible. Luka, who is dying, accuses Chekunov of licking up to Goryanchikov; they fall into petty name-calling.
Shapkin starts to talk about the pain of getting ones ears pulled, at first he seems to be rambling, but a story begins to emerge of how he was picked up by the police for breaking and entering. At first he tried to play dumb with the district superintendent. But the superintendent pulled his ear and made him write and write, he kept pulling and Shapkin kept writing. The prisoners think he has gone out of his mind!
Skuratov starts calling for Luisa; they strap him to the bed.

Patrice Chéreau's superb production conducted by Pierre Boulez

Olaf Bär, Jiri Sulzenko, john Mark Ainsley, Eric Stokloßa, Stefan Margita, Peter Straka, Vladmir Chmelo, Heinz Zednik, Jan Galla, Tomas Krejcirik, Martin Barta, Gerd Grochowski,