Playing by Heart

Emilia and Maria are the exceptionally talented eldest daughters of an early 18th-century Italian family. Emilia is a prodigy in music, and Maria is gifted in languages, logic and intellectual thinking. Their father is forward-thinking, providing the best tutors and hosting intellectual meetings that feature his daughters’ talents. His main desire is to become a noble and he uses his daughters’ talents to gain favour with influential people. Once this goal is achieved, the matter of marrying his daughters to noblemen becomes his priority. However, Maria’s one desire is to take the veil and help the poor, and Emilia has fallen in love with a fellow music student and commoner, Antonio Bellini. But the girls have a close friend in Gabriella who works with her stepmother to ensure the happiness of the sisters. Their plans are simple: give Antonio a nobleman’s position and convince their father to let Maria take the veil.