"Maestro, I'm sorry, but I can't carry on like this." "Let's take itfrom number37." "Oh, my God!" "No!" "No!" "Maestro, Iet's take it from "Qui e altrove"." "Stop!" "Stop!" "I can't stand it anymore!" " It's ridiculous." " Poorthing, are you hurt?" "It's ridiculous!" "This is "Macbeth" by Giuseppe Verdi." "I've neverseen such lousy direction!" "We have a problem?" "Yes, you!" "This isn't one of your crud movies!" "Birds on stage, bad projection!" "is this an opera or an amusement park?" "How can I sing with a raven on stage that hates me?" " I can't imagine why it hates you." " Neither can I." "But it nevertakes its beady eyes off me!" "It shrieks, whistles, flaps its wings." " lt destroys my performance." " It's just a bird." "It should be with the other birds and not in the Opera singing "Macbeth"!" "Where is the manager Baddini?" " I'm here, Mara." " l'm going back to the hotel." "Come on, Mara!" "Don't be like that." "I shall be ready to sing at 8:00." "Ready to sing without ravens and other nonsense, a real opera!" "What we do now?" "Carry on with the rehearsal!" "If something like this happens again, I'Il take my ravens and leave." "Maestro, we'lI take it from where we stopped." "Thanks to you and your so called brilliant and original direction!" "The great Mara Cecova has been knocked down by a car!" "quickly, call an ambulance!" "Where is Betty?" "Whata disaster!" " Hello?" " Is that you, Betty?" "Tonight you make yourdebut as Lady Macbeth." "What?" "Are you happy?" "Who is speaking?" "is this a joke?" "hello?" "Come on, Betty!" "Get ready." "In exactly one hour you've got to be on stage." "Mara Cecova has had an accident." "Someone already called." "I thought it was a joke!" "Are you scared of making your debut?" "No, but Lady Macbeth!" "I'm too young, my voice isn't right." "You'Il be a smash hit!" "A baby Lady!" "I won't reach some of the notes." "I'm not only youragent, I'm yourfriend." "I know what you're going through, just opening-night nerves." "Don't let them show." "Now they're all coming to see you." "Don't show them how unconfident you are." "Stop!" "My dear Betty, are we ready?" "Mara's unfortunate little accident is going to speed you towards your destiny." "You'lI be Lady Macbeth." "Do I see tears?" "Tears ofhappiness, I hope." "Don't tell me you're afraid." "Afraid you'Il fail?" "I'm too young forthe role." "Verdi's first Lady Macbeth was only seventeen!" "You know the opera by heart." "I watched you atall rehearsals working so hard preparing yourself." "As though you were the star and not the understudy." "Don't worry about the orchestra." "They only need half an hour's rehearsal." "Stop it, this is your big chance." " l know." " Think of your mother." "She would be proud to see you in a great opera following her career." "If people like you, you'lI be singing in New York and salzburg." "What happened to Mara?" "She got hit by a car orso I heard." "You're listening to Pokrovskij's recording of"Macbeth"!" "Did you know it was a production of ours?" "1975!" ""Macbeth" brings bad luck!" "Whatare you talking about?" " Everyone says it." ""Macbeth" brings bad luck!" "I would much rather make my debut in something else." "Don't let Baddini hearyou say that!" "Shut up!" "You think the opera brings bad luck." " It's whatever everyone says." " I don't say it." "You have a wonderful voice, you are very beautiful and you're making your debut in a great theatre." "You must make the most of this opportunity." "It usually only happens in the movies." "Don't throw it away!" "Five, four, three, two, one." "Now!" "Let herthrough!" "There is too much smoke." "There is too much smoke." "Dino, cut the smoke!" "The scar must be on the otherside!" " Betty goes on in another 2 minutes." " Ok, 2 minutes for Betty." " Be careful, she could hurt herself." " Two minutes!" "What are you doing?" " Leave it!" " No!" "Stop it!" " Good luck!" "Gota light?" "Yes." "The chorus." "The spotlight!" "I wanted three of them." "Be careful with the costume!" "You finally returned!" "What are you doing here?" "You are not allowed in here." "This box is for stage personnel only!" "Come on, Iet's go!" "What the hell do you..." "Keep going!" "It was an accident!" "Nothing more!" "Okay, Maestro." "well done, Betty!" "You're so beautiful!" "That's enough, Mara!" "Don't be childish." "You're a star!" "You really think so?" " Didn't you hear the applause?" "You were wonderful!" "My sincerestcompIiments!" "You were sensational!" "Thank you." "There'Il be a first night party Iateron." "Thank you." "You were magnificent." " Thank you, Maestro." "will you be at the reception?" " The press will love it." "The press are here." "What about the accident with the lights?" "The screaming?" "What screaming?" "You didn't hear it?" "It came from one of the boxes!" "Mark!" "Wasn't she great?" "I know we had some trouble, but it has nothing to do with "Macbeth"!" "The only bad luck with "Macbeth" is about the use of fame." "I know, my mother was a singer." "Run along." "people will be waiting foryou." "Fantastic!" "I mean it!" "You were just fantastic!" "You were great!" "I just love Verdi's music!" "Oh, God!" "You were just wonderful!" "That damned director!" "I can't take him anymore." "Do you work here in the theatre?" "You are a fan of mine!" "The first!" " First what?" " Fan!" " Congratulations." "Thank you." "You want an autograph?" "Yes!" "I'd like that." "Thank you." "What name shall I..." "Alan!" "Thank you." "Are you a foreigner?" "They're all waiting for you, Inspector." "You're a policeman, not a fan." " Can'ta policeman be a fan?" "I'm notan expert on opera, but yourvoice..." "Thank you forthat autograph." "What'd the cop want?" "My autograph." "Why is he here?" "Maybe because of the accident with the lights." "One of the stagehands died." "Pretty weird!" "Leave your costume there." "Mark says it needs a few alterations." "I don't want to go to the party alone." "would you like to take me?" "Sure, I'd love to." "You were great tonight." "Seems I'm the last one to congratulate you." "Think I might have a kiss?" "Even if I'm only the stage manager?" "Did you really like me?" "I Ioved you!" "From the great Mara Cecova." "With her bestwishes." "Thank you." "The great Mara Cecova can say she was struck by the curse of"Macbeth"!" ""Good luck, little snake."" "You can certainly feel her sting there." "Looks expensive." "What do you think it is?" "Who knows?" "Frog's lime?" "Acid?" "Poison?" "What's wrong?" "Idiot!" "Cecova would bathe in that stuff!" "Damned birds!" "I'm sorry, I can't." "It's not yourfauIt." "I'm a disaster in bed." "I don't know why. I'm sorry." "According to the legend, opera singers are incredibly horny!" "They say they make love before they go out on stage." "That sortof relaxes their voices." "Either I'm a lousy opera singer or..." "Have I offended you?" "Now that you're famous, things are a bit different between us." "Don't say that, it's not true." "What a place!" "Looks like a museum." "It sort of is." "I've got a rich uncle." "It's his place." "He lets me use it whenever I need it." " Do you want some tea?" "Yes, please." "I've got rose, jasmine or mint." "Jasmine." " OK." "No!" "Mint!" "Take a good look!" "If you try to close youreyes you'lI tear them apart!" "You'Il have to watch everything." "Why'd you lock it?" "Are you feeling okay?" "What the hell is going on?" "It's not true you're frigid." "You're a bitch on heat." " Hello?" " There's been a murder at 6666 ViaIe Pegaso." "Who's speaking?" "My God!" "Look what success has done to you!" "Come on!" "I wantto get the papers." "I want to read the reviews." "Something's wrong with your eyes?" "Stage lights?" "Yes, the lights." "What lights?" " It wasn't the lights." "How do you turn on the heating?" " That bad, was it?" " I can't tell you." "It was so..." "I can't tell you!" "Trouble in love?" " Love?" "What love?" "Whenever a woman has a problem, men always presume it's love!" "You sopranos are famous for..." " ...whoring around?" " Now wait a minute." "Look, I've already heard that story tonight." "Some people think we make love before going on stage to improve the voice." "As faras I am concerned they are totally wrong." "You've never made love?" "Of course I have." "It's just... lt's neverworked." "Anyway, you also work in movies." "And you movie people are legendary when itcomes to..." "That's true." "I always jerk off before I shoot a scene." "You'II have to talk about it soon or later." "And then I ran away and I found you." "The strangest thing about what happened tonight, all the terrible things I saw," "are from a nightmare I used to have as a child." "I used to dream of a man wearing a black hood." " Tonight I saw that same hood." "You said you called the police." " Did you give your name?" " No." "told Mira then?" "About what happened tonight?" "Yes." "Why, there's more, right?" "I'Il check the other rooms." "Have you got a boyfriend?" "Someone who might get jealous?" " Not that I know of." "Why?" "Someone is watching the windows with binoculars." "Where?" "Come and see." "He's gone." "He was there underthe street lamp." "I could stay if you want me to." "Don't you have someone waiting for you?" "She's probably having a fit because you're not home yet." "I'Il lock myseIfin." "Don't worry." "Make sure you lock all the windows." "I'lI look around in the street." "If I see anything suspicious I'lI phone you." "If not, see you tomorrow." "What is it?" "There is someone out there!" "Awoman." "Who is there?" "Who are you?" "I live here." " I'm one of your neighbours." "Was that man looking for me?" "No." "It's nothing." "I've told you, nothing!" "Who do you think she is?" "A neighbour, like she said." "Put the chain on." "I don'twant to lose anotherstar." "Who is it?" "Who's there?" "Who's there?" "hello?" "is that you, Mark?" "Mark, is that you?" "Oh, my God!" "Why did I sing that role?" "I shouldn't have!" "It was myfauIt." "Why did I do it?" "Don'tcry, Betty." "Don't cry!" "Stormy reception from "Macbeth"." ""brilliant debut by young singer who at the Iast moment substituted Mara Cecova."" ""revolutionary, butcrazy set." "Doubts regarding the direction."" ""Advice to the director:" "go back to horrorfilms."" ""Forget opera!"" "They're pulling you to pieces." "At least it's only on paper." "And she, a totally unknown, gets nothing but praise." " She was very good." "When they lauded CeciIia Gasdia and blasted your direction of"RigoIetto"" "you were very pissed off, but not this time." "How come?" "You want to take the girl to bed, don't you?" "To be here with you this evening, I took two flights and turned down a fashion show." "Fragments of the same feathers mixed with traces ofblood were found on a carpet in Stefano Brini's apartment." "What was he?" "Your..." "Stage manager." "Ah, yes, stage manager." "Killed, or rather, butchered, last night between 1:00 and 2:00 o'cIock." "Who saw him last?" "There was a first-night party." " Did he leave alone?" " l don't know. I wasn't there." "I see." "Who did go to this party?" " Did you?" "Yes, I did." "What time did he leave?" "I think he left with Betty, our singer." " ls Betty here?" " No, butshe will be soon." "We have to rehearse." " I'm not finished yet." "You are Maurizio, right?" "The one responsible forthe ravens." " How many were killed?" " Three." "Inspector, I know who killed the ravens." "Who?" " Mara Cecova hated them." "What are you talking about?" "Don't be ridiculous." "Ravens are very vindictive." "They don't forget." "They rememberforyears and at the right moment..." "Zap!" "This "Macbeth" has been hit by so much bad luck and so many coincidences." " It staggers the imagination." " I don't want you to think..." "I'm a superstition type, but it's "Macbeth" that brings bad luck." "Everyone knows that." "I couId tell you about dozens of strange incidents." "A lot of people believe the opera to be cursed." "I've seen a Iot of your movies." "You are an expert in this field." "I'd be very interested to know your opinion." "It's unwise to use movies as guides for reality, isn't it, Inspector?" "It depends what you mean by reality." "I've gotto fix this dress before the next performance and I've got only two hands!" "With ten hands, the costumes would still be a pile of shit!" "What?" "alright, Mister Genius Director!" "I put most ofthe blame on ourfancy pants director here who thinks Verdi was a twit and Shakespeare an asshole!" "I'II fix the dress, but not foryou, for Giuseppe Verdi!" "Let's get out ofhere." "all this turns you on, doesn't it?" "Whatare you talking about?" "You're a sadist!" " really?" "Everyone who knows you says the same thing." "That must be boring forthem." "Just the person I wanted to see!" "What's happened to my costume?" "Look at this mess." "Someone tore it apart." "Someone who doesn't like the opera orthatasshoIe Mark's version of it." "This time he O.D.ed on weird." "It's not like movies, where you're congratulated on original ideas." "Oh, God!" "Whata mess!" "It's got to be mended and without a dressmaker, it's up to me." "You'lI have to try iton again once I've finished." "We're lucky though, most of this junk jewellery'sintact." "I'Il be back in a minute." " Mira, I must see you. I'm frantic." " Me too." "My phone keeps ringing." "Everybody wants you." "Rome, Vienna, Paris!" "I have to talk to you about something else." "Something really serious." "A maniac is after me. I need youradvice on what to do." "I'lI give itto you now." " Go to the police." " l can't." "I'm in terrible trouble." "Mira, I must see you." "Alright, I'll come by this evening." "What have you done?" "Is that you?" "Who's there?" "It's you!" "Look!" "Come!" " Look what I've found." "What about it?" "It's gold!" "I neversewed any real gold on this. lt's yours." "I never saw it before." " How did it get on my costume?" " Don't know." "Maybe whoever ripped up the dress, dropped it." "Give me that!" "It looks like there's a date and an inscription." " Let me see." " The letters are faded away." "I've got a magnifying glass somewhere." "I'm sure I have." "It should be in..." "Damn!" "It should be here." "Darn it!" "Any luck?" " No!" "I'm positive I saw it!" "Wait!" "It is in here." "Where is it?" "What happened?" "Betty?" " l'm alright." "Don't worry." "It's gotto be here." "I saw it in a drawer." "You keep on looking here." "I'lI check the ironing room." "I found it!" "I found it." "You enjoyed last night, whore!" "You opera singers are all whores!" "There's a date!" "It's an anniversary, I guess." "Where have you gone?" "Oh, my God!" "is this what you want?" "is this what you want?" "Here!" "Have it!" "Bastard!" "It's..." "I'Il take you whenever and wherever I want." "hello!" "Let go of me!" "Leave me alone!" "These marks." "Who did this to you?" "Is this another manifestation of the curse of"Macbeth"?" "Or did it happen last night?" "So it did happen last night." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Because it was worse than anything I could ever have imagined." "Ijust wanted to cancel it from my mind." "Not see anything, not feel anything..." "Not think anything, just getaway!" "I understand what you're saying." "I'm here to help you, not to persecute you." "And I promise we'Il do our best to catch this man." "But I need your collaboration." "I don't know what he looks like." "He ties me up." "Touches me." "Makes me watch, but he never lets me see his face." "This afternoon at the theatre he killed Julia, the wardrobe mistress." "Christ!" "I'd betterget over there!" " No, please!" "Don't worry." "We'lI get to the bottom of this. I'II be back." "Don't leave me alone!" "I'm afraid." "alright." "Listen." "You go upstairs and lock yourself in." "I'lI send you my assistant, Daniele Soave." "Alright." "Daniele Soave, he'lI know whatto do in case of trouble." "Who is it?" " DanieIe Soave." "Did the inspectortell you I'd be coming?" "Yes, he did." "Good evening." "May I come in?" "Yes, of course." "My eyes hurt, so I put some drops in them." "May I take a look around?" "Go ahead." "In a minute I'lI be right with you." "Are you nervous?" "A little." "No, a lot!" " I'm here, so you can relax." " l will, thank you." "I have a great system for relaxing." ""You are feeling very calm."" ""calm and relax."" ""Concentrate..." Only on the music." ""Breathe deeply."" ""One!"" ""Two!"" ""Three!"" ""Four!"" " Did you call, Miss?" " No, I'm listening to a tape." "If you need me... I'lI get it." "Are you expecting someone?" "Yes, a friend." "Check who it is before opening." " I know it's her." "is that you, Mira?" "It's her!" "I read the papers." "How terrible!" " l'm getting worse." " ls someone here?" "Yes, Vienna and Paris!" "The killer killed again." "Julia. I was there!" "Now I understand why the police are watching you." "Who told you that the police are watching me?" "The officerdownstairs in the hall." "He asked me who I was and where I was going." "His name is Soave." "Yes, that's right." " But he's in the living room." "Who's in the living room?" "You're not making sense!" "Come!" "Who is he, Betty?" " I don't know." " He could be the maniac." " He's gone." "He was in there." "Call the police!" "The phone's overthere!" "I'm too scared to go in." "He may be hiding, waiting." "Let's get out ofhere." "Wait!" "What if this one is real and the one downstairs is the maniac?" "What if it's the otherway round?" "I've no desire to find out eitherway." "You're right. I didn't even get a good look at him." "The kitchen!" "It's a heavy door!" "Knives, we can defend ourselves." "I'd Iike to see him get in here now." "We can always scream." "You are a singer." "You can scream." "This building is ancient." "The walls are 3 feet thick." "No one would hear." "Yes." "Alright." "Right away." " Open the door. lt's Daniele Soave." " He's out there." "The maniac's in the apartment." "You could be the maniac." "I'm a cop." "I'Il show you my identification." " Can you see it?" " No!" "I can't." "Waita second." "Now you can see it." "Anyone can get one." "It's a fake!" "No, come on." "Let me in." "You're fooling me." "Go away!" "Look, my gun." "Police issue." "I saw you before." "I know you!" "I want to see yourface again!" "You may as weIl open the door now!" "One way or another, I'm coming in." "You bastard!" "Son of a bitch!" "You're not going to get me!" "I'Il kill you!" ""You are feeling very calm."" ""calm and relax."" ""Concentrate only on the music."" ""Breathe deeply."" ""One!"" ""Two!"" ""Three!"" ""Four!"" "So he was the policeman." "Betty!" "Come on!" "Quickly!" "climb up here." "Quickly!" "Come on!" "Where does this lead to?" "To my apartment." "What were you doing in here?" " l discovered it." "It's the old air conditioning system." "I can get to any apartment I want." "Are you hungry?" "No, of course not." "This apartment is empty." "I watch you all the time." " really?" " I like it when you sing." "You have a beautiful voice." "Thank you." "I watched that person trying to kill you tonight." "Why do you come up here?" " To get away when my parents fight." "So they hit each other." "Here we are." "He's gone!" "You were very clever!" "You're the cIeverone!" "You saved my life." "Alma!" "It's my mother." "Who are you?" "What are you doing here?" " lt's you!" " Mom, this is Betty." " Do you remember me?" " No, I don't." "Last night you were outside my apartment." "You didn't see me." "Something terrible has happened." "Yeah, you coming in here." "Did you let her in, alma?" "Yes, she did." " She's my friend." " l have to call the police!" " Get out ofhere." " She's my friend!" " Shut up!" "Where's the phone?" "Get out!" "Alright, I'm going, but you call the police." "You're so filthy!" "Disgusting!" "You're disgusting!" "You're always naked!" "That's enough!" "Go to your room!" "What are you doing here?" "Mark!" "Did you hear what happened?" "I phoned yourapartment and spoke to a policeman." " l didn't think you'd come here." " ljust wanted to run." "Hide!" "Everywhere scares me except here!" "I feel safe here." " l'lI sleep in my dressing room." " Betty?" "There'll be a Iot of noise." "The stagehands are working." " l've made a change in the show." "What change?" "Don't worry about it, but I thought of a way to identify the killer." "I don't know why I didn't think ofit before." "We have an eye witness." "If the maniac is in the audience tomorrow night," "I've got him!" "What ifhe doesn't come?" " He'Il come." "I'm so tired, ljust wantto sleep." "To sleep?" "Achance to dream, huh?" "Ay, there's the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause." "is thatyou, mommy?" "I just had the same nightmare that I used to have when I was a child." "But I can't decide whether it'sjust a dream orthe memory of something that really happened." "What do you think ofit?" "Relax!" "Everything is fine." "We'll get him." " But when?" "Any time now." "Any time now." "Go!" "Now!" "Is this supposed to happen?" "Betty!" "told you we'd get him tonight!" "You're a genius!" "It's the policeman!" "Extraordinary!" "Why on earth would he do it?" "Not a sound!" "Come!" "Just like your mother." "Your voice's the same as hers." "Your body!" "Even yourskin." "Oh, God, how much I..." "I don't want to kill you." "She taught me that little game, killing, torturing and then I would have her." "I was her slave!" "Come..." "Sit down." "calm!" "I saw you last night." "I thought it was a miracle." "Be still!" "There is something inside." "You aren't a star like she was." "Betty?" "I wantyou to stay alive." "The people don't understand." "Now it's all over." "How can you love me like this, a monster?" "I don't want you to watch me anymore." "It's better I die." "I want to burn." "No one must ever find me." "No one must ever find me." "I want to disappear." "Ready!" "gasoline!" "I want to disappear." "Are you afraid?" "I am." "I'm afraid of pain." "will you help me?" "Here!" "Take this." "That's right." "Here!" "Higher!" "Yes, now down a little, to your left." "Now to your right." "A little higher." "Now shoot!" "Shoot!" "Isn't what I've done to you enough?" "You need more?" "Alright." "I'Il give you more." "I strangled your mother." "She was too greedy, she wanted more cruelty." "She wouldn't let me touch her!" "That filthy whore!" "And you know what?" "Help!" "I can't get out!" "I can't get out!" "I can't get out!" "Mark!" "Quick!" "He's dead!" "Paris means a Iot to me." "We'lI make this "Traviata" unbelievable!" "How do you want to play her?" "Tender?" "Timid?" "Sensual?" "Good morning." "well?" "I don't think the problem exists any longer." "I knew it!" "There is a surprising development in the caseof the crime at the Opera." "You may remember the report that the maniac inspector, Alan Santini, died in the fire that destroyed one wing of the theatre." "The police now inform us that the remains of the body they had presumed was Santini's, are not in fact human atall." "Oh, my God!" "But those of a theatrical mannequin." "The authorities realize that Santini planned this dramatic coup de theatre to give himself time to escape." "A nationwide hunt is underway for Santini who is considered to be extremely dangerous." "The police forces and interpol are giving theirfulIest cooperation." "Betty, he's not dead!" "He's alive!" "He's here!" "Run!" "For God's sake, run!" "Run!" "I am like my mother." "I realize it now." "I wanted you to win, to kill him." "I'm exactly like her!" "Come, we must get away." "Come!" "Before someone finds the body!" "Come, Iet us go!" " There he is!" "hold yourfire!" " Grab him!" "It's not true!" "I'm not like my mother!" "Nothing like her!" "Nothing ataIl!" "I didn't commit any crime!" "I justwanted to set theirsouIs free!" "Let me kill him!" "I want to kill him!" "He wanted to kill you, huh?" " Did you know we were coming?" "Yes, I did." "I saw yourdogs running through the trees." "We've been on his trail for2 days." " l saw you talking to him." "What did you tell him to stop him from killing you?" "Nothing." "A Iot of nonsense!" "Lies!" "He's a madman, totally crazy." "I no Iongerwanted to see anybody." "I wanted to escape altogether because I'm different." "I don't even vaguely resemble others, any of them." "I Iike the wind." "butterflies!" "Flowers!" "Leaves!" "Insects!" "The rain!" "clouds!" "There, my beauty." "Go free!"