Luke is an alcoholic and a petty thief. Once a talented drummer, he is now busking on litter bins and strumming Rossini on his teeth. Estranged from his wife and son, he becomes obsessed with a girl that reminds him of his deceased daughter. The girl is a soprano in a choir, which Luke wheedles his way into and is given a chance to play percussion for them. The film is called a 'small opera' because operas are usually tragic, but Luke is a real statistic in modern Ireland. Audrey Corbett directs the exquisite music of the 70-strong Galway Baroque Singers
