Maria, Litsa and Jackie arrive from New York at the port of Piraeus. Litsa urges Maria to audition for "La Paloma" with the famous singing teacher Elvira de Hidalgo.
The Second World War has begun. The Italians have settled in Athens. Maria refuses to collaborate with the enemy and falls in love with Robert, an English soldier.
Elvira, her Spanish teacher, encourages Maria to pursue her love for Robert, an English soldier. But when Maria begins to neglect her singing in order to be close to Robert, Elvira fears that her plan will backfire.
Oscar Botman, a kind German officer and a great admirer of Maria, forces her to be the protagonist in "Tiefland" (The Lowlands). This leads to conflicts between Maria and Magliveras.
