In a vibrant yet oppressive Vienna, a talented middle-aged pianist, Erika Kohut, lives trapped in a toxic relationship with her possessive mother, a figure who controls every aspect of her life. Erika is a complex woman: on the outside, she is a rigorous and perfectionist teacher at a music academy; on the inside, she hides a world of repressed desires and frustrations. When she meets a young and charismatic student, Walter Klemmer, her life takes an unexpected turn. Walter is captivated not only by her exceptional skill as a pianist but also by Erika's enigmatic nature.
What begins as an intellectual attraction soon spirals into an emotional storm. Erika, paralyzed by her traumas and dark secrets, embarks on a game of seduction and dominance, leading him into unsettling and dangerous territory. As they both explore the limits of their relationship, desire and pain collide in an emotional dance that pushes them to confront their inner demons.
The story unravels themes such as sexual repression, the quest for freedom, and the wreckage of abusive relationships. Erika finds herself on the brink of an abyss, and her struggle to free herself from the chains binding her to her mother and her past is both heartbreaking and fascinating. In a world where music serves as both a refuge and a distorted mirror of her soul, the boundaries between art and life blur, leaving Erika at a terrifying crossroads.