The plot takes place in 1880, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, following the lives of three strong and determined women. Aurélia, Maria da Glória and Mila are great friends who attend etiquette classes together, but life doesn't take long to put them in completely different directions.

Pretentious critic Cornelius is writing a biography on a famous cellist and to do some research he stays in the critic's house for a few days. He doesn't manage to get an interview with the man, but by talking to all the women who live with him, he comes to learn a lot about the musician's private life none the less. Cornelius then decides to use this information to blackmail the cellist into performing a composition that he, Cornelius, has written.