FADE IN: EXT.

1998 OPERA HOUSE- MIDDAY Year is 1998; a room in an opera house is dark illuminated by only a fish tank; the room is sophistically dressed with expensive furniture, a white couch in a corner. There are two people in the room, you can hear the heavy breathing of someone. One is the conductor dressed in a black tailcoat and white bow sitting on the couch with his arms crossed and a miffed look on his face. The other is his manager sitting in the love seat perpendicular to the couch nervously playing with the conductors baton. Visibly shaking with fear, the ticking wall clock seems to be overwhelming the manager and he is constantly looking at it. He looks at the conductor eyes wide with anxiety. MANAGER Ten minutes left. CONDUCTOR I cant do it. MANAGER Sir, please! If you just conduct this onceCONDUCTOR I cant do it. The manager is now angry, lips are pressed into a thin white line upon his face and his eyes are slits. He goes to kneel in front of the conductor, frantically saying

MANAGER The audience is all here Ten minutes, no nine till the show. Camera switches to show the full audience, orchestra, and the U.S president The conductor turns to the manager now annoyed CONDUCTOR Tell them to all go home, because were ill- prepared. No even if the orchestra practiced theyd suck. I. Cant. MANAGER Youre ruined if you dont conduct. Your career is over. The conductor acts like he didnt hear. CONDUCTOR Do you know whose piece I am conducting today? Brahms. If I were to die and go to heaven Id see him. I wouldnt be able to lift my head out of shame. The Conductor gets up and leaves the room striding arrogantly down the hallway. The managers voice slowly gets fainter MANAGER Heaven? Youll end up in hell!Most likely a fiery hell you son of a- . The last words werent heard for the door to the stage shuts behind the conductor.

Camera spans out to show a snapshot silhouette, view, or straight on view of the conductor BOTTOM OF SCREEN Maestro Kin