Nicole's mother ends up passing through Munich, where she meets her old friend Thomas Andermatt. Thomas is the opera's general musical director and is looking forward to seeing his friends again. She has a request for him: since she has to travel for three weeks, he should take care of her daughter Nicole from time to time, who has been attending ballet school in Munich for six weeks. Thomas last saw Nicole six years ago when the girl was twelve. He now visits her at the ballet school and meets a young woman, almost an adult.