Erika Kohut is a repressed and emotionally detached piano teacher at a prestigious Vienna conservatory. Living under the oppressive control of her domineering mother, with whom she shares a small apartment, Erika suppresses any semblance of personal freedom or desire. Despite her stern and unyielding exterior, she harbors a secret world of voyeurism and sadomasochistic fantasies, which she indulges in seedy locations around the city. Her life starts to veer off-course when she meets Walter Klemmer, a handsome and talented young pianist who becomes infatuated with her and joins her class.

Walter's persistent advances gradually chip away at Erika's icy facade, igniting a tumultuous affair defined by psychological conflict and unfulfilled needs. As their relationship deepens, it becomes clear it might be less about love and more about power and control. This sees Erika descending into an internal struggle marked by intense emotional and erotic turbulence, challenging the rigid boundaries she has maintained for so long.