After accidentally killing his father, an Italian-American teen runs away with an oddball 1960s traveling opera troupe, discovers he has a great voice and yearns to be an opera star, but his past guilt haunts his progress.

SYNOPSIS:

In shadows, an unidentified opera singer prepares to perform. Scene shifts to Philadelphia, 1959. Young Tito is instilled with a love for opera by his mother. Later, 17-year-old Tito is a one-time extra for a traveling opera troupe.

When his mother falls down their stairs and dies, Tito suspects his brutish father Pietro killed her. A fist fight breaks out. Pietro's head hits on a piece of furniture. Tito’s younger sister examines him and tells her brother the father is dead.

Tito runs away. Tracks down the traveling opera troupe before they leave town, and hooks up with them as a stage hand.

Tito comes of age. Various troupe members help him, including a scoundrel baritone who was kicked out of the Metropolitan Opera, and a sexy cellist.

The company goes through ups and downs, opera disasters and sexual episodes, and fine singing.

Tito’s becomes a chorus member. The temperamental conductor discovers Tito has a gifted voice, a tenor with great potential. He works with Tito to develop his vocal technique.

Tito goes through an embarrassing singing debut, but friends help him gain confidence. Eventually, he sings the lead tenor roles for the troupe.

An older Tito investigates his old Philly neighborhood, hopes to find his sister, but there's no trace of her.

Ultimately, Tito becomes a major opera star, sings at all the major opera houses in the world.

He reunites with the sexy cellist, and they attend a performance by their former opera troupe.

The company is in bad shape money-wise, about to close up. When the lead tenor gets drunk, Tito volunteers to sing the final act, and it's a huge triumph, in spite of a prank, where the soprano leaps off a castle to her death, but propels back into view when a trampoline replaces a mattress.

Tito vows to sing with the opera troupe for free, until they recover financially.

During rehearsals, he meets Gina, not only a great singer, but beautiful as well. Tito is smitten.

After a tremendous opening night, the old conductor has a heart attack, dies, and passes his baton to his long-time first violinist.

Later, Tito invites Gina to sing with him at the New York Metropolitan Opera, to sub for an ill soprano. Gina, Tito, and the opera are critically acclaimed. By this time, Tito and Gina are a romantic item.

At the stage door exit, Tito encounters a ghostly presence. His father, Pietro, still alive.

Pietro takes Tito to meet his sister, who moved to New York City as a teen. Escorts him to her grave. Dead at twenty-two, of a drug overdose. Tito is overcome with guilt.

As Tito prepares to check out of his hotel, Pietro confronts him. He threatens to reveal Tito’s past, unless he's paid. Tito tells Pietro he won’t be blackmailed and calls his bluff.

Pietro reveals he killed Tito’s mother. Tito explodes with rage and attacks him. They wrestle. Crash through a window and fall onto a window washer scaffold.

When Pietro stumbles, a rope on a pulley winds round his neck. He falls and is hanged outside the window.

Back to the opening scene. An elderly Tito, in prison clothes, performs for fellow inmates. A true operatic ending.