Adella, a beautiful young Italian girl, aspires to achieve the operatic fame of her mother; and her grandfather, Anton, arranges for her to study under Luigi Golfanti, who coached her mother. While studying with Luigi, she and his son, Pietro, fall in love, and Pietro writes a love song for her. Luigi arranges for her to sing for Bellini, an American impresario; but she goes to her grandfather's deathbed, then sings for Bellini who suggests a slight operation to improve her voice. Luigi sacrifices to have the surgery performed, but Dr. Gardoni, jealous of Pietro, sprays her throat with a medicine that causes her to lose her voice entirely; Luigi persuades Pietro to give her up in Gardoni's favor. At the wedding ceremony, Pietro plays on the organ the love song he composed for her; and overcome, Adella regains her voice and breaks into song. Conscience-stricken, Gardoni leaves the church.
