In 1900, sailor Dany Boodman finds an infant aboard the ocean liner Virginian. He adopts the child and names him Dany Boodman T.D. Lemon Novecento. After the death of his adoptive father, the boy begins to play the piano and over the years becomes a famous ocean pianist, captivating passengers from first to third class with his unique music. However, despite his success, he refuses to ever leave the ship. The novel by bestselling author Alessandro Baricco was adapted into a film by Giuseppe Tornatore in 1998. It was a required text for the topic of staying or leaving in Baden-Württemberg until 2017.