In the fictional Black Forest village of Sankt Christoph, everyone in town shuns Bärbele. According to the gossips, her father is said to have set fire to the “Blauer Ochse” years ago. Dressed in the most beautiful traditional costume, she wants to attend the dance festival on St. Cecilia’s Day. The venerable, no-longer-young cathedral music director Blasius Römer, who secretly loves Bärbele—who helps out as a housekeeper for her aunt at his home—lends her the showpiece of his collection.