Under the authoritarian rule of charismatic ballet impressario Boris Lermontov, his proteges realize the full promise of their talents, but at a price: utter devotion to their art and complete loyalty to Lermontov himself. Under his nearobsessive guidance, young ballerina Victoria Page is poised for superstardom, but earns Lermontovs scorn when she falls in love with Julian Craster, composer of