Thirty years ago at the height of his fame, the celebrated conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra in Moscow had his career cut short when he refused to fire Jewish musicians. Now, working as a humble caretaker in the same theatre, he intercepts an invitation for the orchestra to play in Paris and decides to re assemble his old orchestra buddies, now working as car mechanics, hot-dog vendors and wedding fiddlers and bluffs his way to a comeback.