TEXT APPEARS ON SCREEN: EVIRATI, ITALIAN FOR EMASCULATED MEN; ADULT MALE SINGERS WITH SOPRANO OR CONTRALTO VOICES, PRODUCED BY CASTRATION BEFORE PUBERTY. THROUGHOUT THE 17TH CENTURY, AND WELL INTO THE 18TH, THE EVIRATI REIGNED SUPREME IN THE OPERA HOUSES OF EUROPE. IN ROME AND THE PAPAL STATES, ONLY MEN WERE PERMITTED TO SET FOOT ONSTAGE, SINGING BOTH MALE AND FEMALE ROLES. The text fades into the black background. FADE IN: INT. THE AUDITORIUM OF AN OPERA HOUSE. EARLY 18TH CENTURY窶年IGHT HIGH: Two stagehands ANGELO and GIUSEPPE are busy avoiding their work. Angelo is at the top of a ladder pretending to repair the balcony. Giuseppe is halfheartedly holding the base of the ladder GIUSEPPE What d'ya mean? Is it the whole thing, or just part? ANGELO Look it's really very simple. A eunuch has nothing, zilch, not a sausage, so to speak. On the other hand, a castrato, well a castrato at least gets to keep the sausage. GIUSEPPE So, in principle, a castrato could do it. ANGELO Well, yes, yes I guess that's so, in principle. GIUSEPPE So how do they do it? ANGELO Same as everybody else, I assume. Why do you always have to bring the conversation round to sex? GIUSEPPE Sex? Who's talkin' about sex. I can assure you, given the topic of this conversation sex couldn't be further from my mind. No, how do they do the operation?
2. ANGELO I'm not altogether sure, but Giuseppe, the stage door keeper? He told me that they use a clamp to crush them! The same type of clamp that is used on a bull! GIUSEPPE (Wincing) Ouch! ANGELO But, Giuseppe- the flyman, now he says that they just cut them out: Snip-snip. GIUSEPPE (As white as a sheet) Ooh, ow, I've got to sit down. Giuseppe pulls over a pail and uses it as a stool. ANGELO Now my wife, she says that they tie a wire around them. Tie a wire really tight so eventually they just go black and fall off! GIUSEPPE (Crossing his legs and wincing) Stop, enough. Who started this conversation anyway? Angelo smiles. CRANE: down through the auditorium. The theatre is small. A modest stage exhibits to a compact auditorium, around which a single horseshoe-fashioned balcony overhangs five rows of slender benches. Sat amongst the benches are the theatre's General Director, GIBELLI (50+) rusty guts and sour opinion, and a PRIEST (60+) deathly gray and lenten faced. Hovering round Gibelli, like a fly over manure, is the DIRECTOR'S ASSISTANT- a priggish fop in his early 20's. Gibelli makes a perfunctory gesture, and the assistant bows obsequiously and scuttles away. At the lip of the stage is a shallow orchestra pit in which for today's auditions, sit a HARPSICHORDIST and a CELLIST. The auditorium and the stage are in a state of renovation. On stage the sets for the forthcoming production are being constructed. There is a wooden workbench embedded in a bank of sawdust. Half-finished props and scenery are casually lying about the stage.
3. We descend into the wings and discover BELLINO, a 17-yearold castrato. Within the confined space between two flats Bellino prepares for his audition. He practices intricate arm gestures, and under his breath sings his aria. An unsettling and contradictory soundscape builds. There are too many interwoven sounds for it to be possible to pick out everything, but a few aural images are quite distinct: Waves violently crashing, an enthusiastic audience applauding, creaking floorboards, a harpsichord being tuned, a man's passionless sex grunts. The sounds intensify. Bellino's face contorts with pain. From the shadow appears a tall elegant man: SALIMBENI, a celebrated castrato in his mid 30's. Salimbeni speaks, but his voice is overwhelmed by the sounds. SALIMBENI (gentle and very distant) Bellino? The sounds are now deafening: Bellino is in agony. SALIMBENI (CONT'D) (Still gentle, but much louder) Bellino? Abruptly, the sounds stop. Bewildered, Bellino turns around, he starts to speak, but Salimbeni playfully cuts him off. SALIMBENI (CONT'D) Shhh. Don't say a word. Keep every sound for the audition. Bellino looks troubled. SALIMBENI (CONT'D) Don't worry, your rich voice will more that satisfy the appetite of that glutton Gibelli. And as for the Priest, his eyesight has become notoriously unreliable. Bellino smiles. SALIMBENI (CONT'D) That's better. Is everything ready? Bellino nods yes. SALIMBENI (CONT'D) Are you comfortable?
4. Bellino makes a gesture that suggests that he is comfortable enough. The Director's Assistant lunges his unwelcome self into the intimate scene. DIRECTOR'S ASSISTANT (With camp disdain and annoyance) Maestro Salimbeni. The Direttore asks that you kindly return to the stage immediately. He wishes some conclusion to these trails as soon as possible. His proclamation made, the pest remains with the intention of personally escorting Salimbeni back to the stage. With privacy denied by the invasive presence of the annoying flunky, Salimbeni is forced to adopt a detached air. He stiffens and withdraws a little from his young protege. SALIMBENI (Sotto voce) Not much longer now. (With just a little irony) Remember, you are Bellino, shining pupil of the Great Salimbeni. Bellino smiles and the Director's Assistant gives an impatient cough, Salimbeni tenses at the rudeness of this annoying pest. SALIMBENI (CONT'D) I must go out front now. Salimbeni places an encouraging hand upon Bellino's shoulder. The two castrati lock in an intense gaze. An ardent sensation, arresting the heart and burning the cheek, passes between them. Salimbeni collects himself, and with an impish smile withdraws. He storms past the Director's Assistant who spins on his heels and scuttles after. Bellino's smile fades with Salimbeni's departure and with renewed concern Bellino again stares out into the auditorium. INT. THE AUDITORIUM OF A BAROQUE THEATRE -- CONTINUOUS BELLINO'S P.O.V: With one hand Gibelli is turning the pages of a large book, tallying up the ticket sales for the previous production. With his other hand he, without interruption, feeds himself. He has no concern for the food and grease that he is spilling on himself and his book.
5. Salimbeni enters the auditorium. The Director's Assistant cuts in front of the elegant singer and scuttles straight for Gibelli. Reaching the impresario the sycophantic lackey slobbers some snide comment into his master's ear; Gibelli turns and gives Salimbeni a puerile smirk. CUT TO: INT. THE WINGS --- CONTINUOUS Bellino stares furiously at Gibelli and his toad. From behind Bellino comes the sound of running footsteps and a door slamming. Startled, he spins around. CUT TO: INT. THE CALORI HOUSE, A YEAR EARLIER -- NIGHT ANGIOLA CALORI (16), and her MOTHER (40's), are arguing at the foot of some stairs, they both hold candles. In the shadow stands SPILORCIO, a weedy middle-aged man. ANGIOLA No mother, I will not take him upstairs. MOTHER (Irate, through a strained grin and clenched teeth) Yes, you will. We owe two weeks' rent, and he's not interested in my substitute payment. (Suddenly placid, she subtly crosses herself) Providence my darling, providence. It's better that we unmake our beds at home than trade ourselves as sailor's tackle on the docks. ANGIOLA Mother, he reeks of fish! SPILORCIO I'm not waiting any longer; I don't care how young she is. I'll be back in the morning with the bailiff. MOTHER Come, come now. Don't run away, (Grabbing Angiola's arm firmly) She's ready for you now. (To Angiola) Will you make me wake your sisters? (MORE)
6. MOTHER (CONT'D) (She runs her fingers over Spilorcio's waistcoat) I have two younger daughters. Angiola stares in at her mother in disbelief. Before the landlord has a chance to answer she starts up the stairs. ANGIOLA (Turning to Spilorcio) Come on then. MOTHER Providence, my darling, providence. C.U. on Angiola's face flushed with hatred. her eyes.
Tears form in DISSOLVE TO:
BACK TO SCENE
THE WINGS
C.U. Bellino's eyes: filled with tears. them away.
Defiantly, he wipes
GIBELLI NEXT! INT. STAGE -- CONTINUOUS A spindly young castrato enters and takes his position downstage. He begins singing. INT. THE AUDITORIUM AND STAGE GIBELLI Salimbeni. SALIMBENI (A cursory nod) Maestro Gibelli. PRIEST (With enthusiasm) Salimbeni. Salimbeni bows graciously to the priest. PRIEST (CONT'D) Tell me, Salimbeni, how was Ancona? SALIMBENI My absence was not without reward.
7. PRIEST Well we've certainly missed you in Bologna. It will be a pleasure to hear you sing Orpheus. GIBELLI We'll have to find him a Eurydice first. A month before we open with Orpheus, and now I have to find a half decent replacement for that over-stuffed capon Caffarelli! And from what? The Young Castrato has assumed a very foppish pose. GIBELLI (CONT'D) Bloody Hell! SALIMBENI Where is Caffarelli? GIBELLI Hiding. He went to visit one of his "nieces" in the country. Only this time her suspicious husband decided to return unexpectedly, and our prima donna spent the night hiding in a cistern, up to his neck in God only know what. He's take to his bed and on recovery will no doubt flee the city. SALIMBENI He's much too old to play the women anyway. You can ask an audience to accept only so much. GIBELLI Sometimes I think that it would be easier to employ women. CUT TO: INT. THE WINGS Bellino smiles at this remark. The sound of a turbulent ocean, angry waves slamming against the shore. The sound grows louder, overwhelming Bellino. CUT TO: EXT. A BEACH
NIGHT
Angiola is running through the surf. She's confused, upset, delirious. She falls to her knees. We move in closer. She isn't crying but is angrily pummeling the sand with her clenched fists.
8. ANGIOLA (She repeats over and over) Providence! CUT TO: INT. BACK TO SCENE
THE AUDITORIUM AND STAGE
The young castrato is singing. GIBELLI This one's not bad. Reasonable voice. Pity he's so ugly. The best I've heard today however. SALIMBENI Really? GIBELLI I tell you, the age of great singing is dead. The evirati leaving the conservatories today have no style. They're without personality. They care more about technique than music. Their idea of beautiful singing is to stuff as many notes possible into the shortest amount of time. And as for acting, like lunatics they contort their bodies, grimace, and over-emote, and what reason do they give? Realism, REALISM! Tell me, what has realism ever had to do with opera? SALIMBENI There are some interesting arguments being made for reformation. PRIEST (Ironically) And one should be very wary of such temptations. GIBELLI Exactly, I know your radical opinions Salimbeni, but put a woman on stage and what do you have? (Beat) A woman, just a woman nothing more. PRIEST (With mock revulsion) A dangerous perversion. GIBELLI (Unsure of the priest's sincerity) A young man studies the finer points of women‌ the properties of the female (MORE)
9. GIBELLI (CONT'D) sex, their being and behaviour…studies thoroughly, reproducing them as an artist paints his subject. PRIEST (Sarcastically) And on discovery of a flaw, he is able to correct nature's imperfection. GIBELLI (Increasingly aware that he is the object of the Priest's sarcasm) He doesn't represent himself, but a nature totally alien to him. It is this grand illusion that separates man from beast, art from nature. PRIEST And gold from hot air. SALIMBENI Of course Direttore, but I've also heard that the Chinese use the same reasoning when they cast young girls to play emperors and great warriors. PRIEST I'm not sure that such an eastern perspective is appropriate. It is, however, an amusing argument. GIBELLI (Looking at the Priest, but gesturing wildly at the young castrato) Shut up! (To the priest) You're here to enforce the law not debate it. The Priest looks to the young castrato, who moves forward to the edge of the stage. Gibelli turns on Salibeni. GIBELLI (CONT'D) And you! Did you ever consider that you're out a job if we start employing women? Talent for talent, you'd lose and don't thing that I haven't considered the money I could save. The Priest turns to Gibelli and gives him an affirmative nod.
10. GIBELLI (CONT'D) (Without looking at the young castrato) That is all. NEXT! CUT TO: INT. THE WINGS
CONTINUOUS
Bellino stiffens; panic squeezes the air from his body. GIBELLI (O.S., more annoyed) NEXT!! Bellino steps out onto the stage. As he crosses the stage each step seems monumental, his legs feel leaden. He can no longer hear anything from within the theatre; instead he can hear the scene by the ocean: The sound of feet running through water and waves hitting the seashore. SALIMBENI Angiola, Angiola wait. ANGIOLA I have to leave Ancona, I have to leave now, before it's too late. On stage Salimbeni is in conversation with Gibelli. SALIBENI Then come with me. I return to Bologna next week. I'll introduce you as my pupil Bellino. No one will question two castrati living together. Bellino looks at the Priest. ANGIOLA But how can I sing, a simple examination will uncover the fraud. The young castrato passes Bellino, he is buttoning up his pants. SALIMBENI Don't worry, there are ways to create even the embellishment. Angiola laughs. BACK TO REAL TIME: GIBELLI This one is better looking.
11. SALIMBENI Much better. Gibelli gestures to Bellino to begin. Bellino takes a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. GIBELLI Come on, you're the last. Flustered, Bellino nods. The harpsichordist plays a cadence, and Bellino stumbles into "Scherza Infida" by Handle. God!
GIBELLI (CONT'D) Not more bloody Handel.
Gibelli turns to Salimbeni, and rudely starts a conversation. This is too much for Bellino, everything is about to collapse, his voice becomes a quivering whisper and is on the brink of cracking. He closes his eyes forcing himself to fight the panic. His mind conjures forth and orchestra, the enthusiasm of violins and violas, the encouragement of cellos, the arrogance of oboes, the sincerity of a bassoon. A powerful transformation takes place. A confidence appears on his face and in his body. When he sings his next phrase it is bold, confident, and stunningly beautiful. Gibelli stops talking, entranced by the voice. turns, gawking at the divine singing.
Slowly he
We INTERCUT between Bellino and the reactions of the three panelists. Bellino concludes the aria. The theatre is silent. PRIEST (Reluctantly) It is time for the examination, please come forward. Bellino apprehensively moves forward. GIBELLI Unbutton! Bellino looks to Salimbeni, who looks back encouragingly. Bellino takes, and holds, a deep breath. His fingers nervously undo the flap in the front of his pants. Slowly he starts to peel back the flap. CUT TO:
12. INT. GABBIANO'S SHOP
EVENING
An arm pulls a curtain aside. Angiola and Salimbeni push their way into a jungle of fabric and clothes. Hundreds of pieces of clothing hang from the ceiling. Numerous crates are overflowing with pieces of cloth. We follow them into Gabbiano's basement shop. A strip of small windows, at ceiling level, provides the only natural light. The rusty rays of setting sun slice through the dusty room. People passing on the street above cast animated long shadow across the tiny room. Sat behind his worktable is GABBIANO. He is a tiny balding man. Long years of working in his dimly lit shop have destroyed his eyesight. He is no longer able to see anything further than two inches from his nose. Salimbeni and Bellino stop in front of Gabbiano's worktable. Gabbiano looks at his customers, squinting to make them out in the gloom. He picks up his spectacle (two lenses, held simply in a heavy frame), and holds them to the bridge of his nose. A look of recognition and he pushes a small package across the table. Salimbeni picks it up and hands it to Angiola. Tentatively, Angiola opens the package and uncovers a bizarre phallic leather object. The fake penis that she will wear to complete her deception. GABBIANO That's top quality that is. up to the light, go on.
Hold it
Angiola holds the penis up to what little light she can find. GABBIANO (CONT'D) See how light shines right through. No other pig skin'll let that 'appen. 'Gainst your skin t'll be invisible. (Beat) Except a course for the bit you want seen. Attach it with some gum over your‌ y'know, the area you want to obscure, and even th'almighty imself '91ll mistake ya' for Adam. We take a closer look at the prosthetic in Angiola's hands. CUT TO: INT. BACK TO SCENE-THE AUDITORIUM AND STAGE Bellino, still holding his breath, is turning a deep shade of red. The Priest leans forward, squinting to examine Bellino.
13. Salimbeni turns away. Gibelli bites into an ample lip. The Priest rises to take a closer look. Bellino, crimson face with veins protruding, can hold his breath no longer. He releases an explosive sigh and blows out the candles illuminating his crotch. PRIEST (Slumping back onto the bench) God's wounds! Shamefaced, Bellino grins sheepishly. GIBELLI (Raising his cetaceous body) I'll have the candles re-lit immediately. Angelo! Giuseppe! PRIEST No, no, don't bother we are done here. Everything is satisfactory. The Priest leaves the auditorium. Gibelli turns to Salimbeni, and gives ham a conspiratorial wink. GIBELLI (Loudly enough for Bellino to hear) Have him come see me first thing tomorrow. We start rehearsals in three days. Salimbeni and Bellino exchange triumphal smiles. Gibelli, unaware, waddles off. The Director's assistant scuttles after, totally ignoring Salimbeni. The Cellist and Harpsichordist excuse themselves, departing swiftly to the nearest Inn. Salimbeni and Bellino remain, frozen in an intense gaze. A STAGEHAND enters from the wings, startling Bellino. Salimbeni stands and formally addresses his protege. SALIMBENI Congratulations. You are to present yourself at ten tomorrow morning. Don't be late. (Beat) Well done.
14. Salimbeni leaves. Bellino is alone. MEDIUM SHOT: Victoriously she surveys the empty theatre. Her eyes glint triumphantly. CRANE OUT: Her joyful visage collapses, and with it crumbles the persona of Bellino. Unmasked, we see Angiola, tormented by the realization that her success requires the living of a constant lie. She will live in fear of discovery, and what if she is discovered? What are the penalties for such a masquerade? She ran away t Bologna t find freedom, but where is the liberation in a lie? LONG SHOT: Angiola forsaken, lonely, isolated, haunted by her past, fearful of her future. FADE OUT: