Farinelli

---

Don't sing again, Carlo!

Don't sing again!

They'll do this to you!

Your death is in your throat!

Enough!

Riccardo Broschi...

this introduction is unworthy

of what I've taught you.

Maestro Porpora, please!

You cannot judge

his score...

until you've heard

at least the first part sung.

These two...

were made for each other.

Then let us hear this music.

This joint creation by...

your two sons,

Signor Broschi.

That's what you want,

isn't it?

Go on.

Sing.

What are you waiting for?

Carlo Broschi, sing!

Sing!

You have ten seconds

to save your brother.

Your voice, my boy.

Your voice!

Let me hear your voice!

Why did the castrato die?

Why? Why?

Don't ever refuse your voice

to your brother.

My sons must never

leave each other.

I want you to swear it.

I don't want them to do it to me.

I don't want to die!

I don't want to die!

1740 - The Palace

Of Philip V Of Spain

Carlo! It's me, Riccardo!

I'm here! I've spent three years

looking for you.

Carlo, it's me!

It's me, Carlo!

Who's that?

Who is he?

It's his brother,

Your Majesty.

Riccardo Broschi.

It's me, Riccardo!

Let me go!

Carlo, stop them!

It's me, Riccardo!

I'm Riccardo!

Make them stop!

Naples

18 Years Earlier

Let's go, Carlo.

This fellow seems...

to be missing

a thing or two!

Carlo, please!

Stay calm.

Let's hear it

for the trumpet player!

Surely here...

in the land of music...

there must be a singer

who can take on my trumpeter!

He's my brother.

Hey, you!

What's your name?

He mashed your famous

trumpet player into farina!

Farinelli!

The show continues,

ladies and gentlemen!

The show continues.

Fill up the basket!

Signor Farinelli!

Signor Farinelli!

What do you want?

This isn't the time! Go away!

A message from Handel!

Hurry up!

A message from Handel!

I want young Farinelli

to accompany me to England.

I wish to hire him

for my theater in London.

Well? What does

young Farinelli think of that?

Young Farinelli...

wonders why

the Maestro thought of him?

You amused me.

Your duel with the trumpet

was very entertaining.

Well, I'm waiting, Farinelli.

What sum did the Maestro...

have in mind to secure

the services of the Broschi brothers?

I'll only take the youngster.

If he works hard...

I may give him a contract.

I'm afraid you don't understand,

Maestro.

Contract or no contract,

the Broschi brothers stay together.

I have to buy them

by the pair?

I am a composer, Maestro.

Dear God!

Farinelli sings

what I compose...

especially for him.

- He sings just about anything.

- I don't quite understand.

Anything at all.

That's what I said.

He sings just about anything.

Don't you see

that in his hands...

you'll never be more

than a sideshow attraction?

Do you have

so little regard for music...

that you'd waste your voice

singing rubbish?

Without music,

you don't exist.

You're just a creature

without balls.

Neither man, nor woman.

Your voice

is the only justification...

for your existence.

In here...

there's merely an organ

that nature lets you enjoy...

so you'll forget

how ridiculous that one is.

May God forgive me!

Some Years Later

Riccardo.

Why do you keep saying Riccardo?

I'm almost finished. Wait.

You've been rewriting Act Two

of Orpheus for ten years!

Will he ever get

to the underworld?

Wait.

- Is it really finished?

- Well, finished--

Finished-- Uh, finished--

It needs more work,

but you'll see...

the flourishes

are diabolical!

You'll have to go without inhaling

for at least one minute.

I can manage one minute.

Give it to me.

All right.

Try it.

Sing!

Are you crazy?

What are you doing?

- It still needs much more work.

- Devil!

You traitor!

Don't be crazy, brother!

Orpheus is a beautiful creation!

You're crazy, brother!

Orpheus!

Listen to them, Carlo!

You hear? It's a triumph!

We're the greatest, Carlo.

If Father could see this!

If he could see all this!

Last night I dreamt about him.

He was in this theater.

He was here, Carlo!

He was right here!

He cried tears of happiness!

Tears of happiness.

He was so proud of us.

You were marvelous!

Please, leave me alone.

I'm not feeling receptive.

One should seize the moment!

Do you realize

how arousing you are?

It is hoped

that you'll accept this.

And read this letter.

Tearing Countess Mauer

away from her book...

is something

only you could accomplish.

That's a very valuable gift,

Signor Farinelli.

I'll leave.

Silk...

satin...

velvet.

Ah castrato!

It's the pact, madame.

I've always believed,

Signor Farinelli...

that books

could supply our minds...

with all

the necessary sustenance.

As to the feelings

the arts inspired in me...

they always appealed

to my highest faculties...

to my intelligence.

Those feelings, Signor Farinelli,

I can control.

But what I felt yesterday evening

when I heard you sing...

is beyond my understanding.

What you aroused in me...

is very similar

to a feeling of love.

I believe...

that...

you were responsible...

for my first musical orgasm.

At this point,

Signor Farinelli...

do you really need

your brother?

Do you need him

in order to get an erection?

Can you come, in spite

of what they took from you?

They left me enough to satisfy

all the world's women.

What is it like?

Stupendous.

And safe.

Never safe.

Carlo supplies the climax.

Riccardo plants the seed.

Together...

the Broschi brothers

are formidable...

and a perfect team.

Sing for me, castrato...

just once more.

Better ask your husband

or your lover for that, madame.

The Venice contract.

The Bologna contract.

Carlo, we're invited

to Vienna!

For you.

Handel!

What does he want?

What does he want now?

He's coming to Dresden

to hear me.

Oh, really?

He won't hear you.

We're not going!

This one's from Porpora.

Carlo, what's wrong?

Carlo?

My voice.

It's gone!

That's impossible!

It's gone!

Carlo!

Stop!

Don't just stand there!

Put the wood on the fire.

Quickly! In the fireplace.

These people

don't understand anything!

Faster!

Hurry up!

Carlo, eat.

You have to eat.

You have a fever.

Tell me about it again.

Don't start again.

It does you no good.

That nightmare

keeps coming back.

It haunts me, Riccardo.

It's like an endless race.

I never fall off.

If I could just dream

that I fall off.

Help me.

I've already told you

a hundred times.

Tell me again.

When our father died...

you became very ill.

One day the fever

was so high...

you were delirious.

You went to get Helios.

That horse was a demon.

Something occurred

between you two.

He always led you

toward danger.

Off you went

on that terrifying ride.

I got there too late.

You had already

fallen off.

Carlo.

Carlo.

We did all we could

to save your life.

To save my life.

To save your life!

A little opium.

Yes, some opium,

and I'll sleep.

Opium makes you delirious.

We have to go to Dresden.

We will.

Handel wants to see us?

Handel wants to hear us sing?

We'll go to Dresden.

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