During a stay in Seville, Empress Eugénie was charmed by the song of Violetta, a flower girl of gypsy origin. She invites her to Paris where she becomes a prima donna.

Sylvester Tibble is a clerk in his uncle's restaurant. Sylvester dreams of becoming a famous dancer and tries to inject a little of the jazz life into his uncle's old-fashioned establishment. When dancer Junie Budd shows up at the restaurant, Sylvester sees a chance to make his dream come true.

A carnival girl pretends to be Swedish in order to win a movie role.

On her debut as an opera star, Marion Stuart is interrogated and possibly implicated in the death of a male acquaintance. Released, although thoroughly shaken-up, Marion attempts to perform but loses her voice onstage. Humiliated, but driven to sing, she travels to South America under the assumed name of Maria Delasano, and works in an opera company under the tutelage of Feodor Glinka, who wants her to shun men and save herself for her art. Mary resists the persistent attentions of wealthy young Phil Roberts, who follows the company in hopes of marrying her. ...

In the underworld of Manhattan, a woman dares to stand up to one of the city's most powerful gangsters.