"City of Song" "Well, folks, this is Naples, the city of song!" "That's Mount Vesuvius." "There lies Capri, and there is Sorrento." "Add to this the beautiful blue sky, and the green sea." "Isn't it beautiful, eh?" "Every Italian who comes here welcomes Naples with the beautiful song:" ""Addio, mia bella Napoli!"" ""Addio..."" ""All the birds have come along, all the birds, all of them..." "Blackbird, thrush, finch and starling, and the entire flock of birds." "All the birds have come along, all the birds, all of them..."" "What's this, my boy, how could you know this beautiful German song?" "I'm German, signore!" "What, you are German?" "Folks, a fellow countryman!" "But how did you get to Naples?" "In early youth, I was kidnapped from my father's castle by gypsies." "Oh well, he was kidnapped - kidnapped!" "After these people had dragged me through the whole world, they cast me off onto the shores of Naples." "No, no, my boy, you have to speak German correctly!" "It's not "they cast me off", but "they cast myself off"." "You are confusing the third and the fourth case!" "It's "myself". "Myself"!" ""Myself"! "Myself"!" "Buy a little statuette from myself!" "It's only 30 lire." "For all I care, do you want one of these?" "Give it to me, here are 30 lire." "But you have to learn German, understand?" "Here, my son." "Not a big deal." "No, no, now I'm angry with you again!" "What do you want with 'grazie' and grace?" "You have no use for grace, you're not a ballet dancer after all!" "Learn German!" "You'll make it in the whole world if you speak German." ""All the birds have come along..."" ""...all the birds, all of them."" "So you see, you'll learn it!" "What a boy!" "Now look, that's the boy with "me" and "myself"!" "And now he sings "Tipperary"!" "That brat has myself..." "now you wait!" "I'll sort him out!" "Professore, Professore!" "Tupf!" "Finally you're here." "Golly, Tupf!" "190 lire?" "You're going to be a wholesaler!" ""Wholesaler"?" ""Wholesaler?"" "There is that brat!" "Now leave me alone for a moment." "What can I do for you?" "I want to sort out that boy." "He cheated on me!" "How?" "He purported to come from Berlin!" "No, he doesn't." "He's a Neapolitan." "He learned German from me." "But badly, very badly!" "The boy confuses "me" and "myself"." "Are you German by any chance?" "Yes, I'm from Bavaria." "I've been living here for many years." "I'm from Munich." "Well then, someone from Munich isn't someone from Berlin." "Indeed." "He's your offspring, then?" "No, he only sells my figurines and statuettes for me." "And with his 11 years he already earns a living for his mother and sister." "So then you tolerate that this brat conducts his business by wilful misrepresentation?" "Heavens, it's simply his greatest pleasure to be my seller." "Does that upset you so much?" " Not that!" "But if someone confuses the third and the fourth case, it annoys myself!" "Me!" "So, it annoys you, too?" "So you see!" "Teach the boy correct German, then!" "So that he will be someone in life!" "Goodbye!" "Goodbye!" "Folks...!" "Folks!" "Tupf, where are you?" "Tupf, I've told you a thousand times not to fool those people." "One day, a carabiniere will get you." "But I have to earn a lot of money, Professore." "Buy a beautiful dress for Carmela." "For Carmela, all right." "Buy a beautiful white dress for Carmela." "A white veil, a white train..." "but what for?" "For Carmela's wedding." "Carmela's wedding!" "Now that's something." "Big wedding!" "And all the bells will go bim-bam-boom..." "Coat!" "With top hat!" "With a top hat!" "But,Tupf, who is going to be the bridegroom?" "Bridegroom?" "You, Professore." "I?" "Why?" "Of course you, Professore." "You love Carmela, so marrying." "Let's have dinner now, before everything gets cold." "Don't you want to eat with us, Carmela?" "No, I've already had dinner." "I'll be back soon." "Arrivederci!" "Arrivederci." "Professore?" " Yes?" "What does 'geloso' mean in German?" "Geloso?" "That means jealous." "Why do you ask?" "Giovanni jealous of you." "Of me?" "Yes, because Carmela loves you, she has disappointed Giovanni." "So?" "Does he say so?" "Well..." "Let him talk, he probably knows best whom Carmela really loves." "Only 'grazie'?" "Still that proud?" "Carmela, you still don't know that I love you?" "Every day you say that to another girl." "But not with so much pleasure!" "Carmela!" "Carmelissima!" "Madame?" "Yes?" "You wanted to change your clothes." "This quietness." "I think we'll stay here for longer." "That's what you always say, madame." "But when you finally are somewhere, you're drawn back to Vienna again." "Not this time." "I'm very tired, Martha." "Indeed, a lot has happened in the last months." "Happened?" "Always the same." "But what else do you want, madame?" "What else do I want?" "If I only knew myself what I want." "What for?" "Only once without make-up and all that stuff." "Martha, someone's knocking." "The tourist guide, madame." "Yes, I speak German." "Fine." "I'd like to get to know the vicinity of Naples." "Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, Capri..." "Sorrento..." "Allow me to suggest, madame, to go first to Pompeii." "First to Pompeii, fine." "Then pick me up tomorrow at 11 o'clock." "Very good, madame." "Goodbye." "Actually, I had quite a different idea of an Italian tourist guide." "Here you have the teatro scoperto, built 200 years B.C." "What was performed here?" "Cheerful plays, the comedies of Plautus." "What a rich, happy city!" "A very happy city, madame!" "If you consider that people lived, worked, played here, and all of it got buried in just a few hours." "This theatre had room for five thousand people." "The acoustics are much better here than in modern theatres." "I will show you at once." " Yes, please." "Fabulous!" "This is La Sirena" "The myth tells that Odysseus, on his wanderings, saw the sirens here." "So he asked to be bound to the mast of his ship, and that way he passed by without harm." "Madame, this is the last ship to Naples." "We must hurry." "It's so beautiful here, Giovanni." "I'd like to stay." "Please arrange for my suitcases to be brought here." "I'll go to Naples and bring the luggage." "No, Giovanni." "Do you want to leave me all alone here?" "You can make a call later." "Sit down now." "I'm so happy here!" "Well, Director, you must at all costs..." "Oh, excuse me please." "Telegram?" "You must do me a big favour." "You must fix at all costs that I get the room next to Mrs. Landshoff." "You know, the beautiful lady with the blonde fuzzy-head." "You have to fix it at all costs." " Pardon?" "Well... arrange it." "To pull it off...." "Ah, string-pulling!" "Great, string-pulling!" "It's known in all languages of the world!" "Excellent." "You know, I'm Rudi Feldegger from Vienna." "And you will arrange to give me the room next to Mrs. Landshoff?" "I'm sorry, I can't." "Oh, then give me the room below her." "I'm sorry, I can't do that either." "Then give me the room above her." "Not possible either." "But why not?" "Because the lady isn't staying with us anymore." "Jesus Maria Joseph..." "Isn't staying here either." "Tell me, where is she staying now?" "For three days now, the lady has been staying..." "Excuse me." "What, in Pronto?" "Where is that?" "The lady is staying on Capri." "Ah yes, on Capri!" "The blue grotto, very nice." "Well then, send for the car." "I am going to Capri." "Capri is an island." "You can only get there by ship." "All right, then send for the ship." "It doesn't make any difference." "I will send a telegram to the lady, for the arrival." "Oh, that's an excellent idea!" "Well then, telegraph to her:" "ARRIVING." "STOP." "Signature?" "Can't you write that yourself?" "No no, your name, your name." "Oh, that isn't necessary." "Look, for three years I followed this woman through the whole world." "If she gets a telegram reading ARRIVING." "STOP. , she knows it's Rudi Feldegger." "Please, you must give me a little extra information." "Yes, please?" "Tell me, is she 'solo' on the island?" "I mean, is there a man near her?" "Only a tourist guide." "Egad!" "Only a tourist guide!" "Very nice!" "Giovanni!" "Giovanni!" "Giovanni!" "From the waters we all come," "In rowing and swimming we are well versed." "Rudi!" "Indeed!" "But where do you come from?" "Directly from Vienna." "Somewhat old-fashioned, I went with the train." "That's the greatest surprise I ever had!" "You might have even better surprises with me!" "How did you get the idea that I am here in Capri?" "That was easy." "You told everyone you were travelling to the northern countries, and your tailor told me that you ordered nothing but summer dresses." "So you spy on me." "Well, sorry." "So then I wondered: what is she doing with summer dresses at the north pole?" "She must feel cold, the poor person." "So I went to the train station, got a ticket to the south, and looked for you, carrying the small Wallace in my vest pocket." "Holla!" "Besides it's impossible for a beautiful blonde like you to hide in this country for longer than 48 hours." "Wonderful!" " Isn't it?" "Of course I'm thrilled that you're here." "Where are you staying?" "Albergo Quisisana, room number 34." "And I have room number 35!" " Yes." "But only two hours ago, the wife of the English consul from Paris lived next door." "Yes, of course, that is the great thing about it!" "Said wife received a telegram that her husband was ill, suffering from rickets." "She's already on the train." "And you?" "Well, I have the room of the consul's wife." "Fantastic!" " Isn't it?" "So come, you must tell me everything." " With pleasure." "So you see, this is all the news." "Lili wants to get a divorce." "No!" " Yes, yes." "And Kugler, imagine, Kugler is bankrupt." "And Lona..." "Lona wore a dress for the opera ball which cost at least 5000 kronen." "And her husband walked around making a face as if he had already paid for it." "Very nice, yes." "Tell me..." "What stories are told about me?" "About you?" "The old story." "She's got the travelling itch again, left without saying goodbye, nobody knows where she's gone," "nobody knows with whom." "Tell me..." "Who is the happy guy?" "Don't be so curious, Rudi." "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." "Do I have a chance maybe?" "Perhaps." " Wonderful." "I'm ready!" " Then let's go." "Giovanni," "I don't need you anymore today." "See you tomorrow!" "Giovanni!" "Giovanni, what was that song?" "Was it a... love song?" "Signora, I want to go back to Naples." "And I want you to stay." "I beg you to stay." "Left for Vienna." "Hello?" "No, Madame has not arrived in Vienna yet." "Pardon?" "This is the chambermaid speaking." "Madame is still in Naples." "In Naples?" "Perhaps with her heart." "Listen Claire, don't make a fuss." "Do you believe they don't know that you're back in Vienna?" "You underestimate your importance and your popularity." "The whole city is in a turmoil already." "The ?" "are being decorated." "You're really nice, guys." "I kiss you 'corporately'." "" I kiss your hand, Madame..."" "Claire..." "No guys, I really don't have time today." "I don't know yet.... perhaps..." "Perhaps next week." "Are you focussing completely on the imports now?" "No, I said 'imports'." "Just because you have imported a canary bird from Italy there's no need for locking yourself up in a cage, too." "Rascal!" "A cage, I said." "Yes, I have to hang up now." "For sure." "No, no." "Goodbye." "Goodbye!" "Who did you talk with?" "With Rudi and some friends." "I will have to invite them next week." "You will see they are very nice people." "And they will be able to help you a lot." "They say he was a tourist guide in former times." "What was he, then?" "I know it for sure, he was a donkey driver." "Oh, a donkey driver!" " For sure, you can believe me." "A nice party we have here today, don't you think?" "Yes!" "A little crazy, but nice." "My dear friends!" "Mr. Cavallone, about whom I told you so much already, will now sing something for us." "Get up!" "Take a bow!" "Kiss hands!" "Dumb-ass." "Lots of thanks." "See how he plays the nature-boy." "We won't fall for that anymore." "Then let's ignore it." "Thank you!" "This was heavenly!" "Wonderful!" "Say, are all Neapolitans such a humdinger?" "Well, that is unbelievable!" "Well, my dear, I have to say of all the tourist guides I have heard singing, this tourist guide sang the best." "Oh, a small-fry cynic." "Isn't there anything you can get excited about?" " Very little." "Congratulations, hearty congratulations!" "I must say, I didn't like you too much before, but you really know how to sing." "Shouldn't we drink to our friendship?" " With pleasure." "You know, Gio..." "Gio.." " Giovanni." "That's a bit too long and too difficult for me." "I'd prefer to call you Charlie instead." " Very nice." "Oh, the Kommissionsrat!" "Good evening." "Mr. Cavallone, please sing some more for us." "You know, it's regrettable that you arrived so late." "You missed quite something." "He..." "Don't eat so many potatoes, there will be something better later on." "He's actually my discovery, and I'm in charge." "And your colleague from the concert artists' agency in Berlin, he sends me a dozen telegrams every day." "Congratulations!" "On what?" "Don't joke around." "You know what?" "Because we are such good old friends, I'll leave the bargain to you." "Tell me, whom are you talking about?" "About Cavallone." "About whom?" "About Cavallone." "C as in caviar." "The greatest voice since Caruso." "You don't say." "You will..." "Prick up your ears." "Now you will hear quite something." "Pay attention!" "One thing I know for sure:" "there never was a woman who seemed more desirable." "If my heart goes up in flames, and knows so much love, beautiful lady, I will have to tell you." "Signora, I saw you for the first time today," "Signora, and already I'm in love." "Signora, I realised today for the first time that such a beauty does exist." "Signora, when can I see you for a second time?" "Signora, I'm waiting impatiently." "?" "and that's only because of you." "?" "and that's only because of you." "Splendid!" "Wonderful." "Madame, don't you want to 'discover' me a little, too?" "I'm really quite bowled over." "He's the only one who isn't cheeky." "Just wait." "You know, at this moment:" "I would sing that differently." "That boy is good business." "Who are these people, these people around Claire?" "Stupid people." "All her admirers." "They follow her everywhere." "I don't like people like that." "Excuse me, I have to join them." "Why did you run away so suddenly?" "You had a big success, Giovanni." "Aren't you happy?" "What is it?" "I don't like all these people." "But that's a part of it." "Look, if you want to have success, you will have to conquer these people." "I don't want these people to stare at me that way." "All these fools." "You're a child." "I feel like a stranger here." "Do you regret leaving Naples?" "No, I don't regret anything." " But?" "Do you think I only came here to make a career?" "Giovanni." "We have to go in now, come." "And for the photo we're going to make, write the usual caption:" ""Kommissionsrat, Herr Kommissionsrat Sigmund Königsberger with the lyric tenor discovered by him, and so on..."" "And by all means the article must contain:" ""A distant nephew of Caruso on his mother's side."" "Yes." ""On his mother's side", that sounds better." "That's all right." "Show me." ""New discovery..." "Königsberger..."" ""New star..." "Königsberger..."" "I can find my name on my own." "Why "Berlin is interested, too"?" "What is Berlin?" "Write: "America"." "And not "is interested"." ""America is in feverish suspense."" ""Vibrates in suspense, trembles in suspense."" ""Feverish suspense..."." "I said that already." "So, in one word:" "Something's happening." "So you are coming, Madame?" " I don't know yet." "But of course you are coming." "Claire, if you are not coming tonight he will rather do homework for school." "Everyone's against me." " Oh, my poor boy." "See, Madame, I reserved such a nice table for you." "I said to the director, you know, the director is my best friend, so I said:" "My dear director..." "Well, you can tell us all this tomorrow." "Don't be silly, you won't allow yourself to be locked in a cage, will you?" "You are coming, yes?" "No." "Because of you." " Bravo!" "Goodbye, then." "Go ahead, I'm coming soon." "Wait a moment for me." "Tell me, Claire, what is it?" "Now you're not even allowed to receive some people in the afternoon?" "You didn't let your own husband tyrannize you like this." "Rudi, I must follow my own ways here." "Well yes, pardon me." "I only wanted to follow you a little bit." "And then," "I will disappear as usual." "Well... it can't be helped." "Goodbye." "You are beautiful today." "And without make-up." "See, this way I love you." "Professore." "Yes?" "Well, at least he hasn't forgotten his songs." "His songs have always been his whole world." "Let's only hope that he has success, Carmela." "He will have success, he must have success!" "I know it for sure." "Professore." "What is 'cognato' in German?" "'Cognato' means 'brother-in-law'." "Professore and Tupf:" "Brother-in-law!" "What are you doing this evening?" "I'm staying at home." " Then I'll stay with you." "No, Giovanni, you have your concert tomorrow, so you must go to bed early." "There's always something new." "I can never be alone with you." "You have time for everything else, but not for me." "There's always a party, an invitation, another party, another invitation..." "Giovanni, are you going through this again?" "We are in Vienna now, and that's completely different to Naples where nobody knew us." "One must show respect to people here." "And people are talking about us already." "Claire." "Claire!" "I've wanted to talk about this with you for some time now." "Why this secrecy?" "It could all be far easier." "Let's get married." "Well?" "But Giovanni, we live in a totally different age." "Who cares these days whether someone is married or not?" "Why put on this act, then?" " Because..." "Because society demands it." "So your society is not averse to being unmarried?" "But it nevertheless asks for the old, silent act." "I don't understand it." "So we always have to quarrel." "Good evening, Mr..." "Mr. de Cavallone." "Good evening." "Who are you, then?" "In former times I was the porter here." "And now I am night-watchman." "But, Mr. de Cavallone, you're obviously on a night promenade." "Yes, artists..." "I know them well." "Before their first performance, they are driven here like a criminal to the scene of the crime." "Is there a concert inside?" "These are already the preparations for tomorrow." "There's the cleaning woman and the piano tuner, and I have to make sure that everything is as it should be." "That is one of my duties." "But Mr. Cavallone, do you want to have a look at the hall?" "With pleasure." "I could show you around." " With pleasure." "I'll go ahead." "Please" " I have bad eyesight." "Today it's rather empty." "But tomorrow evening, with all the audience here..." "Wonderful." "Did you know that once a fellow countryman of yours sang here?" "A fellow countryman?" "Who was it?" "Caruso!" "Caruso." "When he sang here for the first time, the hall was only half full." "But later... it's twenty years now, yes, it's twenty-five years ago." "When he sang for the first time," "I said," "I said to my wife when I came home:" "Today someone sang, and it was... it was wonderful." "He will become very great, the greatest of them all." "And what did he sing then?" "What did he... well..." "Continue, Mr. de Cavallone." "Why don't you continue singing?" "How am I supposed to sing now?" "Well, just sing." "Can he accompany me?" "Well, Mr. Miller, be so kind as to accompany Mr. de Cavallone." "Can he do it?" "Of course." "Go over there, he will accompany you." "Well, you have, you have sung, Mr. de Cavallone..." "You have such a beautiful voice." "Wonderful." " Thank you." "With you, we wouldn't have had to give away tickets for free." "I was up in the box office when a lady came and bought all the tickets." "What did you say?" "Giving away tickets when someone has such a beautiful voice..." "Well, there's always a little trickery." "I mean..." "Yes, there's always a little trickery." "Someone you know?" "Good night." "Look!" ""Two and a half musketeers..."" "But three gallants!" "Good evening, that's really nice of you." "Where's Rudi?" "Wonderful, the missing person has gone ahead." "Shall I take the middle seat?" "Martha!" " Yes, madame?" "You know:" "I'm sleeping." " Yes, madame." "Where did she go to?" "I have to talk to her immediately." "Madame has got an invitation." " Where?" "Where?" "Where?" " At the 'Jockey'." "Know what?" "I am very proud that I managed to free our dear Claire from her cage, if only for a short time." "Cage, that's a good one." "Very good!" "Look, how she enjoys her freedom, and how cheerful she is!" "Well then, a toast to freedom!" "Cheers!" "Let's be like children..." "Good children rarely grow old!" "Then nothing can happen." " Nonsense." "Again, he doesn't get it." "He really didn't get it!" "He still hasn't gotten the joke." "Cheers!" "Well, we really sit at a nice table here." "I told the director, you know, the director is a friend of mine..." "Well, I said "My dear director, I have a good new...."" "My God, we really heard that story about the director before." "Cheers!" "No friends, be kind, let him finish the story." "So, "My dear director," "So what?" "Well, yes, "My dear director"..." "Giovanni, what are you doing here?" "You lied to me." "Lied?" " Yes." "You said you would stay at home, and now I find you here." "I know, Giovanni, and I'm awfully sorry but..." "It all happened so suddenly." "You also said I would have a concert and could earn a lot of money with it." "Another lie!" "I'm only allowed to sing because you pay for it." "I will explain everything later." "I don't need any explanation, I understand everything." "I'm only a puppet for you." "Don't make a scandal, Giovanni." "Please go home now." "Yes, but you will come with me." "I'll come as soon as I can." "No, you're coming right now." "I can't right now." "Claire, you're coming with me right now!" "Stop it!" "What do you want from me, after all?" "Madame, you have promised the next dance to me." "Tell me, Gianni, what kind of foolishness is this?" "You go into such a smoky place on the evening before your great concert?" "But Gianni, why care for this little dance?" "Think of your concert!" "After all, your career is more important." "I've had it up to here!" "Come!" "What do you want?" "What I want?" "This!" "Giovanni!" "Stop it!" "How could this man be allowed in here?" "Why is nobody dancing?" "Why isn't the music playing?" "I'm pretty stupid, Professore, right?" "Ah, Carmela." "You are a lovely, sweet little girl." "Look, then." ""Ich liebe" with "ie"." ""Du liebst"..." "Professore!" "Giovanni!" "Let's continue writing, Professore." ""We were sleeping"..." "Let's finish for today, Carmela." "I want to work a little, too." "Come, Tupf." "What are you doing, Professore?" "I have to travel, Tupf." "You have to leave?" "Yes, Tupf." "Really?" "Yes." "To Germania?" "Yes." "Look, Claire." "Don't take it so seriously." "This whole affair is like a nice little song." "You hear it somewhere, and it is so light, so sweet, so silly, and you can't get it out of your ears." "You wake up with it in the morning, you hum it all day long, and then... and then you quickly forget about it." "But if you hear it again after a few years, you're already smiling a little, thinking:" ""well, this was quite a nice song after all." "Ah, how everything gets out of fashion.""