Joseph and Olga Stegudith, who are elderly Parisians of Viennese Jewish extraction, come to luxurious Evian with Olga's brother Michel Mazelsky to hear their son, virtuoso cellist Jascha, perform. Jascha is lovesick over violinist Anna Ghirardi, with whom he had a brief affair a year ago, although she's happily married to naturalist Primo.