Set in the world of classical music, the film follows Lydia Tal (Cate Blanchett), regarded as one of the greatest living composers/conductors and the first female chief conductor of a prestigious German orchestra. She is only days away from recording a symphony that will take her to the pinnacle of her career. Tal's six-year-old adopted daughter Petra, who is very smart and charming, plays a key role here. When all factors seem to be against Tal, her daughter becomes an important moral support for her struggling mother.