In an attempt to get on in the world Monsieur Choufleuri, a wealthy parvenu, has engaged three famous Italian singers, la Sontag, Rubini and Tamburini, for a private musical evening to which he has invited ministers and ambassadors. The Italian singers fail to appear. The ministers and ambassadors decline his invitation. He would have been the laughing-stock of his other guests if Ernestine, his daughter, had not thought up a providential stratagem which is in fact a small piece of blackmail. For, against her father's wishes, she is in love with a promising young composer called Babylas. who lives in a nearby garret and with whom she communicates by a secret musical language. Babylas appears and, with Ernestine, prevails upon Monsieur Choufleuri to join them: the three of them will pass themselves off as the famous Italian trio and this conspiracy gives rise to a parody of serious opera. The girl's trick succeeds beyond all expectations, Not only does the audience applaud the bogus singers who have supplanted the real ones, but in recognition, Monsieur Choufleuri offers Babylas Ernestine's hand, along with a dowry of fifty thousand francs.