The Climax Page #4

I salute you.

Anything to learn?

It takes character

to understudy a newcomer.

Understudy?

Your new soprano will never

sing The Magic Voice. Oh, no?

No! Seebruck's insane to even consider

letting a young, inexperienced girl like that...

You forget, my dear,

that once upon a time you were a girl.

#... the greatest game of all #

#Love is no trifling thing

to a maid in the spring #

#So best be wary, lad

or you will be had #

# Yes, you'll be had

and that is bad for men of arms #

#Ah, yes, that is bad

for mighty men of arms ##

Thank you, gentlemen.

Thank you.

This is followed

by the baritone solo and ballet.

We have the sketches of the set.

Would you like to see them? Not now.

The ballet is followed by the soprano aria.

We'll omit the baritone solo and the ballet.

I want these gentlemen of the press to

hear Miss Klatt. Of course. Gentlemen.

We take it

from the soprano aria.

Signor Roselli on stage, please.

Attention, gentlemen.

The ladder back, please.

Miss Klatt! On stage, please.

# I was all alone #

#A blindly groping maid #

# My heart was still my own #

#Just hoping, yet afraid #

- # Oflove #

- #Then I came and found you there #

# I called your name

and breathed a prayer #

# I began to live #

# The moment that I knew #

#The clouds began to give #

#The sun came shining through #

#Above # # You were

mine to have and hold #

# But even then

the sun grew cold #

#Ah #

# Tell me why this doubt

should fall to me #

#Whose tragic power... ##

"Whose tragic power calls for me. "

I... I'm sorry.

May I try that last part again?

Of course, my dear.

Of course.

#Ah #

#Tell me why this doubt... #

Why, darling, what happened?

Quite the real thing.

Angela, what happened?

My voice... It's gone.

That's ridiculous.

My voice... It's gone!

Stop saying that and come here.

Franz. What's the matter with me?

Nothing. People don't lose their

voices like that. You've got to sing.

I... I can't, Franz.

For some reason, I don't want to sing.

Angela!

For me, darling.

Now, from the same place.

#Ah #

#Tell me why this doubt

should fall to me #

#Whose tragic power... ##

Young man, how did you

get in this dressing room?

Do you realize that by forcing her

voice, you might ruin it forever?

- I'm only trying to help. She lost her confidence.

That's all. - Is that true, Doctor?

Why do you think her voice broke?

High tension, nerves.

And it could be serious?

It could be if not taken care of.

What do you advise, Doctor?

A few days, at least,

of absolute rest.

But rehearsal... You can

rehearse with the understudy.

But you won't have to.

I tell you she's perfectly all right.

It's quite obvious

she's not perfectly all right.

Her voice did break.

We all heard it.

I would suggest that we leave it

to Miss Klatt herself.

What with your nerves in this condition,

do you think you ought to sing?

I don't know.

I never felt like this before.

We'd better send her home, Brunn.

Where does she live?

Fifteen Hahnen Street.

I'm afraid that won't do.

She must have professional care.

The hospital?

How would you like to come

home with me for a few days?

I'll come and see you, Angela.

I'd wait, my boy.

She needs complete rest.

That woman must have blackmailed

Seebruck into giving her the part.

After the papers have been full

of nothing but The Magic Voice,

Seebruck will have to produce it.

But it isn't for her.

She can never sing the aria.

They can lower the key.

But it's Angela's part.

There was nothing wrong with her...

until she met Hohner.

Dr. Hohner wants to help Angela.

Then why does he keep her locked up?

Why can't I go and see her?

She hasn't even answered my letters.

I'm going to take her back

where she belongs. Franz.

Yes?

I would like to see Dr. Hohner.

Dr. Hohner never sees patients at

this hour. But I'm not a patient.

It's... It's a personal matter,

and it's very important.

What is it about?

Angela Klatt.

Angela Klatt?

I've got to see her.

I'm afraid you'll have to come

another time.

The doctor is just leaving

for the theater.

I've decided not to go

to the theater tonight, Luise.

Oh, but that was a message

from Count Seebruck.

The new tenor has a sore throat. Oh.

Why don't you go home? Now,

why don't you go to the theater?

You should be there by now.

But, Franz...

Go on. Don't worry about me. I just

want to see what happens. Go on.

She's upstairs. Hurry.

Angela. Angela, it's Franz.

Angela, what's the matter?

Don't you know me?

Good evening, Dr. Hohner.

Good evening, Leon.

Who is that singing?

That's the new tenor.

Well, there's nothing wrong

with his throat. No, sir.

Get her out of here now

before it's too late.

Angela, we're getting out of here. I

mustn't leave. He doesn't want me to leave.

Let me stay, Franz. Please let me stay.

I'll take you home to Mama Hinzl and Carl.

Hurry. Please hurry.

The back door.

Quickly.

To the left, out the door

and through the gate.

Dr. Hohner!

Dr. Hohner! Dr. Hohner!

Dr. Hohner, she's gone.

How? Where were you?

After you left, I went down to the

kitchen to look after some things.

A little later, I came up to see her.

She wasn't here.

I searched everywhere,

but she was gone.

They must have been watching the

house for days, waiting for a chance.

Who brought that message

from the theater?

I don't know.

I never saw him before.

Franz. The young fool.

What are you going to do?

Nothing.

That girl will obey me

no matter where she is.

I fixed you some nice hot soup, dear.

Put it over here, Mama Hinzl.

No, Franz. You mustn't touch it.

Angela, it's just an atomizer.

He... He told me

something about it.

Franz, what did he tell me?

Can't you remember?

I... I can't.

But I... But I must.

It was very important.

Don't worry about it now.

Mama Hinzl is going

to give you your soup.

Franz, don't leave me.

All right, darling.

Now close your eyes

and try to sleep.

Think of nothing else.

You saw the chemist? It's water,

Uncle Carl... plain everyday water.

Water?

Yes. You are sure

this came out of the atomizer?

Yes. I took it out

when Angela was asleep.

I was sure there was something in there

that stopped her from singing, but now I...

Oh, Uncle Carl, what is it...

her imagination?

When did her voice break first?

When she was singing the aria.

At rehearsal, with

Hohner watching her. Yes.

And the next time?

In her dressing room.

And Hohner walked in.

All this after she had been

to his office for treatment.

He must have frightened

the child. But why?

Marcellina. The aria.

Who can tell what goes on in a

man's mind? And who can prove it?

Oh, Carl, what are we going to do?

I don't know.

In the army, when a man

was thrown from a horse,

we put him right back on the horse

and made him ride.

And it worked?

Usually.

The longer a man waited,

the more difficult it became.

Something in his mind grew

into a terrible mental hazard.

Men, horses... I know.

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