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I'll be asked
to make this personal.

So I shall.

You are
always looking at her.

You look at her too much.

Something terrible
may happen.

Hi, I'm Clea.

I work in the props department
here at the opera company.

I'm going to be showing you
how I make the head

of John the Baptist,

uh, who, for those of you
who might not know the story,

he is the biblical prophet
that gets beheaded

by a woman called Salome.

Woman 1: We welcome back

the wonderful Ambur Dione.

So great to have you
back home, Ambur.

And welcome to our company

for his first appearance
with us,

Johan Mueller.

We're very excited to have

these two
amazing singers with us

and both are fresh
from a very,

shall we say,

controversial production
of Salome in Stuttgart.

Sometime before my husband
passed away last year

he made a very
specific request.

Charles wanted
one of his former students

to direct this remount
of Salome.

I know that Charles worked
very closely with Jeanine

on the original production
and so

I'll let Jeanine
let us know

what she plans to do
in the weeks ahead.

Jeanine, would you
like to come forward

and say a few words?

Working on this production
so many years ago

changed my life.

It was a huge gift.

Just like being invited
to stage this remount is a...

another...

huge gift.

Charles meant the world to me.

Charles meant a lot
to many people.

This morning, I-I...

I took a moment

to find his-his favorite spot
in the theatre,

which is
this rehearsal bridge

that connects the stage
to the audience

just above the orchestra.
It's this--

It's between
these two spaces.

And he lo--
he loved being there.

He... he loved being
in the heart of the action.

And, now, we are here to...

to honor his heart

and his spirit

in the best way
that we can.

So, I will leave you with

with the costume designs
and some images

from the original show
and the maquette.

The changes
that I will be making

for this production
will be small but meaningful.

And if anybody
has any questions

I'd be happy to answer.

Thank you.

- That was a crazy production
- Yeah.

Do you remember
all those long talks

that we had
about the role?

Ye-yeah,
I remember those talks.

You had a huge impact on me.

Really?

And after that,
I-I-I went to study

with this amazing teacher
in London,

but they were really expensive
so I ran outta money really fast

- and I came back.
- And you kept working.

I've done
a lot of understudy roles.

And I've done
some small things.

- I'm here now.
- Covering John the Baptist.

And I'm covering Salome.

- Hi.
- Rachel.

Rachel. Jeanine.
It's so nice to meet you.

- You too.
- My two understudies.

This'll be fun.

So, here's the basic plot
of the opera:

Salome wants John the Baptist
to pay attention to her.

She's crazy about him,
but he refuses.

He won't even look at her
because he thinks

that Salome's mother
is a whore.

So, then, Salome's stepfather,
King Herod,

he asks her to do
this sexy dance for him

and he offers Salome

anything that she wants
in return.

So, Salome asks for

the head
of John the Baptist,

which is what
I'm working on here.

She demands that her stepfather

chop off John's head
and offer it up to her

so that she may finally
kiss his lips.

I guess you can see
it's a pretty weird love story.

Who is this woman
who is looking at me

I will not
have her look at me

Wherefore doth she look at me
with her golden eyes

under her golden eyelids

I know not who she is

Bid her be gone

It is not to her
that I would speak

I am Salome
daughter of Herodias

Princess of Judea

Back
daughter of Babylon!

Come not
near the chosen...

Johan! Johan, Johan.

It's important that you
never look at Salome.

From the moment you take
your blindfold off your eyes

you never turn
to look at her.

That feels strange.

Well, you're demanding
that-that she repent

and, in order to
get her to do that,

she needs
to feel frightened of you.

You need to let her understand
that you know

the terrible things
that she's done.

The cries of her sinning
are heard by God.

You say that, right?

You need her
to beg for forgiveness

and you're not prepared
to look at her until she does.

But isn't it
her mother's cries and sinning

I'm talking about?

I think she's a whore.

They're one and the same
as far as you're concerned.

Like mother, like daughter.

Okay, let's continue.

How beautiful is
the Princess Salome tonight

Look at the moon

How strange
the moon seems

She is like a woman
rising from a tomb

You have to
blow them out, Granny.

Where's Daddy?

Daddy, come. Granny wants
to blow out her candles.

Woman 2: Where'd you find
those candles, Lizzie?

Daddy brought it.

They're a little big,
aren't they?

We were gonna use sparklers, remember?

Let's take this back
and put them on.

Shouldn't she
blow this out first?

Then what's the point
of the sparklers?

We need to sing Happy Birthday
as we bring in the cake. Right?

Can't she just
blow these out?

Okay, now, help me put
sparklers on the cake

and we can do this properly.
Okay?

- Come on.
- It's okay, honey.

Woman 2: Yeah.

Sparklers.

- That was weird.
- You think?

How's the
place you're staying?

It's nice.

- Some rich opera patron?
- Yeah, they're away.

- Weren't you gonna arrange--
- What were you doing upstairs?

I was showing Dimitra
your old CD collection.

- Why?
- Where's Harold?

Harold died
last year, Margot.

Woman 2: Get ready.
Three, two, one.

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday,
dear Margot...

I really appreciate
you coming here

and doing this.
I know how busy things are.

No problem.

So, this is the props room.

This is, like,
one of my favorite places.

You can see pretty much
all the props

from every show
the opera company's ever done.

It's crazy.

And, uh, yeah, we've got
a bit of a collection going

of severed heads here
from other productions.

Cute.

So, uh, like I said,
the company's asked me

to do this thing about the head
kind of to market the show.

I get it.

And, uh, yeah,

I thought it might be cool
to get a few words from you

about what this prop means now
after so many years.

Okay.

So, uh, tell me about
working on this production

all those years ago.

Well, I was
more of an observer.

Like a, like an intern.

Like an observer...
to the director.

Yeah, I mean, we had
a lot of conversations.

Uh, but I was still very much
Charles' student back then.

I gather that he was
a pretty big presence.

Yes, he was a
very big presence.

Yes, Charles was
a very big presence.

What can you tell me
about him?

Uh, why do you think
Salome asks for the head

of John the Baptist?

Well, she says it
in the opera.

She just wanted to--

to kiss his lips
and he wouldn't let her.

Do you think
that's a little extreme?

Yes, it's extreme.

But I guess
you need to see it as

the first recorded sex crime
in biblical history.

Rejoice not
thou land of Palestine

Because the rod of him

Who struck thee is broken

So, Ambur,
at this moment

this is when you can just
collapse onto the swing.

Just two hands, slowly,
gently just collapsing

because his voice
is like a drug.

His voice
makes you feel safe.

Yeah. Good.
And, Johan,

can you check the monitor
next to the camera, please?

Uh...
why is this my issue?

Well, you have to
position yourself back there,

and we need to see your mouth
in the centre of the frame.

And when you're singing,
you kind of, we lose you.

But can't the camera
move with me?

It's on a tripod.

Is that my problem?

Yeah, I'm--I, uh,
I'm-I'm, I'm sorry, it is.

No! My problem,
my job is to sing, right?

You can amplify my voice
or project my lips

but these technical issues
are your problem, not mine!

He's an asshole.

Did you hear about him
in that production in Stuttgart?

It--

Hi, it's Paul.
Leave a message after the beep.

Does Paul
come to visit you often, Mom?

Yes. It's nice.

He likes Dimitra.

- Are they up there now?
- Let's see.

Dimitra?

Dimitra?

I thought you guys
were finished.

Uh, no. I-I called,
I called back.

Is my husband there?

Uh, I don't think so.
Let me check upstairs.

Okay.

You think
they're fooling around?

I am amorous of thy body,
John the Baptist.

Thy body is white,

like the snows that lie
on the mountains of Judea

and come down into the valleys.

There is nothing in the world
so white as thy body.

Suffer me
to touch thy body.

Back, daughter of Babylon.

By woman
came evil into the world.

Speak not to me.

I will not
listen to thee.

I listen but to the
voice of the Lord God.

It's great to
get back to the text.

The music makes
a big difference.

But the words.
The words of Oscar Wilde.

Thy body is white
like lilies in a valley.

Thy body is white

like snows
on the mountains of Judea.

Suffer me
to touch thy body.

It's so beautiful.

Beautiful. Beautiful.

Just let the peel fall away.
Just let it fall away like that.

Perfect.
Okay, break it up.

And, now,
I want you to taste one.

I want you to really taste it.

Feel how heightened it is
with your eyesight gone.

Feel how, how powerful
the flavor is.

Take away one sense,

all the others
become heightened.

More real.
More intense.

Remember that.

That's your responsibility
as an artist.

Salome is overwhelmed
by her wakening desire.

But what is she
being wakened from?

What's at the root
of her crazed enchantment?

Crazed enchantment.
That's my new favorite line.

What?

Thanks. What do you think
it means, Lizzie?

I don't know. I don't know
where you came up with that.

- You don't?
- No.

- When do you find out.
- In a day or two.

I mean, it's a small thing.

It's not a small thing, Mom.
You're directing a show.

Yeah, I'm remounting it, baby.

Hello? Yeah, did you hear
what she said?

It'd be great if they,
if they publish it.

- Did you read the new draft?
- Not, no, not the whole thing.

But I loved that line
about crazed enchantment.

That's the part
I just rewrote.

That's the one
I just read to you.

Yeah. No. No, no. Like, no.
The line from the play.

The one, um...

that Salome's father says
how he-he loves her too much.

Jeanine
You're always looking at her.

You look at her too much.

Well, that's not my essay.
I didn't write that.

Yeah, but...
Yeah, but it's in the play.

I mean, you want me to read--
I read the whole thing.

- It's in Oscar Wilde's play.
- Yeah.

It is dangerous
to look at people

in such a fashion.

Something terrible may happen.

Have you...

mentioned anything to Lizzie
about this being a separation?

No, I guess I'm just scared.

I, I just...

I told her that it's--
it's different this time.

- Different in what way?
- Just you going off

to do the show, and...

How we're just gonna
see how it feels

to be apart
for this long.

It--

Don't you think that's a talk
that we should've had together?

- We've had that conversation
- No, the three of us?

Yeah.
I'll see you tomorrow.

I think you need to
insist on this, Jeanine.

The-they they have to

put your director's notes
in the program.

I mean, so many ideas
from the show

were inspired by you.
Right?

Crazed enchantment.
All that.

Thy hair is like
a cluster of grapes

like the cluster
of black grapes

that hang
from the vines of Edom

Let's pause real quick.

So, as Salome
is going on in detail

about how she wants to touch
John the Baptist's body

and, and his hair and his lips,
there is

an entirely separate dynamic
that's happening right here.

Uh, could you sing
the second line about how--

how beautiful Salome is?

- Yep.
- At rehearsal six.

How beautiful is the
Princess Salome this evening

Thank you. It's all this pain
and-and-and yearning.

It's what--
It's what leads you

to eventually...

- ...kill yourself, right?
- Yep.

Because you can't have her.

Those are the same exact ways
she can't have John the Baptist.

And you have this secret crush
on Narraboth.

And he pays no attention to you.
He doesn't--

You, you don't exist.
It's...

It's her,
and-and-and to hear...

For somebody to hear
a sound like that...

Can you sing it again, please?

How beautiful is the
Princess Salome this evening

To hear a sound like that and,
and know that he...

he's capable of this passion,
but it's not directed at you.

It's not for you,
it's for her.

- Mm-hm.
- It's maddening.

It's just this
crazy mess of-of-of...

This crazy mess of feeling.
Right?

And so as--
while Salome is singing

about how wonderful it would be
to, to, to touch

just touch
John the Baptist's hair,

it-it ignites something in you.

It inspires you
to touch Narraboth's hair.

Okay. Okay, let's, uh,
let's go back to one-oh-one.

It is thy hair
that I am enamored

Jokanaan

Thy hair is like a
cluster of grapes

like the cluster
of black grapes

that hang from
the vines of Edom.

We really like the piece.
We just don't think it serves

the purpose, the function
of a director's statement.

The function? I'm sorry...

So, you're gonna use
Charles's notes from before?

- Yeah, it's still pertinent.
- Okay, seriously?

Nancy, Charles, don't you think
he would want me to have

my director's notes published?

He's the one who invited me
to remount this.

It's Beatrice's decision.

Oh, so, it's what
his wife wants.

So, as part of her final wishes
for her husband.

Yes, like I said,
what Beatrice wants.

Look, even though
we're not gonna publish

in the program officially
as a director's statement

I thought it might
have other outlets.

- Like what?
- Like sharing in interviews.

I've already had a request.
This, um, podcast...

Okay, sure.

I also had this idea that you
might wanna create a journal

that we could post on the site
like a, like a diary

of what it means to you
to be working on this

so many years later.
You can shoot it on your phone.

We can help you edit it.
You can even...

make it more personal
if that's what you want.

- More personal than what?
- Than what you've written here.

You think this is personal?

Isn't it?

One more thing.

We were a little concerned about
what you said the other day

at the presentation,
wanting to make changes

to the original production.

As I said, small changes.

Small, but meaningful.

That's right.

I've been asked
to make this personal.

So I will.

That's the whole point.
That he never looks at me.

This is for you, Charles.

That's what Salome
is begging him to do

that he never sees me.

The person
who wanted me here.

Right, 'cause if he did,
then he would love her.

Exactly. But do you ever
get the sense that he would?

Now I'm back.

Without you.

Alone.

Alone to watch the understudies
for Salome and John the Baptist

discuss roles
they may never get to play.

Alone to watch
an empty orchestra pit

from your favorite place
in the house.

A bridge between
two different worlds.

Alone to watch someone
try out a swing

that came from somewhere
in my childhood.

Later that night I watch a clip
from the production

you directed
so many years ago.

How perfectly her white dress

flowed into
the unfurling screen.

Like they were both one piece
of magical fabric.

How perfectly
the shadow of my father

was discovered
on the projected home movie

of the girl.

You asked me about
so many details, Charles.

And I willingly
provided them

because you made me feel
so loved.

A girl walking blindfolded
through the forest.

And in the shadow
of her father,

my father,

who you directed
with such meticulous detail

to reach for her.

Keep following that.

There's a bog coming up
in a little bit.

When I say big step,
you take a big step.

No hesitation.
Keep coming. Big step.

Big step.
There you go.

The moon
has a strange look tonight.

She is like a madwoman.

- She's like a madwoman.
- Seeking everywhere.

Seeking.

My father's words to me,
Charles.

From the play
that haunted you both.

At first I wanted to try
making the head as a sculpture

as opposed to the more
traditional method

which would just be to make
a cast of the singer's head.

I studied sculpture
in art school

and I really enjoy
this kind of slower method.

Uh, so to start...

I asked Johan to send me

a few photos from Germany
of his face

just to gimme an idea
of the shape of his features.

And I got this started
and, um...

I think it's pretty good.

So, the next step will be to
have Johan come into the studio

and I'll work on getting
the finer details of his face.

This is really strange.

You know, usually,
they make a cast.

Yeah, I know.

Uh, but the guy who'd normally
be doing that, my boss,

he's sick.

But I find that this is
less invasive for you.

Sometimes singers get
a little freaked out

when there's all this stuff
on their head.

Hm. So, you are going
old school.

I mean, I can make a cast.
I know how to, but...

Definitely,
this sculpture should work.

And, uh, these pictures
that you sent me,

these were really helpful.
Kind of gave me a head start.

A head start on my head.

Exactly.

You're so serious suddenly.

What has Ambur told you
about me?

Why do you think she'd
tell me anything about you?

Mm, I've heard
you two know each other.

Yeah, we were,
we were friends a while ago.

Here?

Yep.
Before she went off.

"And conquered the world."

Yeah, right.

Yeah, that's Ambur.
Conquer the world.

I think she has
a pretty high opinion

of herself, yes?

Well, she's super-confident.
Yeah, she always has been.

Hm.

She did tell me
about the last production

that you did in Europe.

Stuttgart, hm?

Sounds like it was
pretty intense.

Did she go into details?

Just that it was a
different interpretation.

It was very physical.

Very naked.

She probably told you
that I crossed some lines.

- Well, she, she--
- I know that's what she thinks,

but I was just
following direction.

Doing my job.

Oh.

Oh, I love this part.

- Hm.
- When I first heard this--

- Hi.
- Hey.

- Jeanine.
- Charlie. Nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.
- I'll leave you two alone.

- Thanks, Nancy.
- Thank you.

Thank you for doing this.

I've really been looking forward
to speaking with you.

Well, I hear very good things
about your podcast.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Singers like to post
their interviews,

helps the fans
get to know them.

- Sure, sure.
- To be honest, I, uh...

don't usually
speak with directors.

Oh, well,
that's understandable. Right?

Right.

Can I first grab you
a cup of tea?

Oh, uh...
No, thank you.

I'm okay. I'm good.

Glass of water?

Yes. Sure.

- Nice setup.
- Thanks, yeah.

I'll just be a jiff. It might
be a little dirty, actually.

Ah, thanks. You don't have
to--Mm, okay.

You're a...

You're a little bit
overdressed for this.

I-I didn't know,
I didn't know what to expect

or what you
needed from me, so...

Oh, did you think
we'd have cameras?

- I don't know.
- Hoping to get filmed?

I asked for this interview
because, um...

I'm a little bit obsessed
with this production.

- Oh.
- I find it so interesting

that you've come back
to remount it.

I mean, you must have
been so young back then.

Well, I'm-I'm
probably older than I look.

Yeah.
Okay, but also...

uh...

you don't direct opera.
I mean, I looked you up, uh...

you do regional theatre, right?
A lot of trade shows?

Should we start?
I just don't wanna lose...

any time with you
'cuz things are a little hectic.

Oh, uh, we've already started.

Oh.

We're rolling.

- Okay, great.
- Oh!

Sorry. Almost forgot.

I brought you...
some cookies.

Just careful
not to chomp on 'em.

Okay.
Thank you so much.

No crunching while we roll.

- Good?
- Yeah.

All right.

It sounds like this
totally insane production.

So, John the Baptist
is all over Salome,

like, the entire time.

Like he's some kind of
sex-starved monster

or cult leader
or something.

And the words that are
coming out of his mouth

have nothing to do
with the way he's behaving,

which is, basically,

groping her naked body
as she's going on and on

about how beautiful his hair
and his skin and his lips are.

What?

You didn't know that?

About the production.

No. No, 'cause it was
in Germany, right?

- Mm.
- Stuttgart.

So, had nothing to do
with our show.

Yeah, but don't you
stay in touch?

- With Ambur?
- Mm-hm.

No, of course not.

So, you don't follow her.

No.

We broke up
a long time ago.

When she went off
and conquered the world.

That is so weird
that you would say that.

But that's the
exact same expression

that Johann used
except he said it in German

and then he had to
translate it back to me.

and he pronounced it
concord the world

Rachel...

Ambur got very lucky.

There is nothing,
like, nothing...

that I would love more
than to see you on that stage.

It'll happen.

Just watch.

That's tough.

Covering a role
can be frustrating.

And-and part of her
is grateful for the work.

And, I mean,
now she knows the role.

- It's in her repertoire.
- Right.

And, who knows,
if Rachel's lucky,

she might even get to sing it.

Like, if something
happens to me.

- Yeah, like, if I kill you.
- Nice.

I mean, it would be
her dream come true.

That you murdered me?

That she would get a chance.

Well, I'm here
to do six performances,

remain healthy...
and not die.

Of course.

You're not actually asking me
to give up a performance?

Even if I wanted to...

as a favor,
it's not so simple.

I'd have to get
a doctor's note--

Of course.

And this is how
I make my living, Clea.

I don't sing,
I don't get paid.

The understudy would get my fee.

Ambur, of course.

Jeanine, you hate that house.

And everything
that happened to you there,

you cringe every time
you set foot in the place.

But that's not
how Lizzie feels.

We're not
talking about Lizzie.

I know, we're talking about
your imagination.

What happened in that house
was not my imagination.

I know, I know. But...

But what you think is happening
with me and Dimitra is.

So, you're not,
you're not sleeping with her?

Not in the house, no.

Oh, because,
'cause you have boundaries.

We talked about this.
I-I...

I mean, we're supposed to be
honest with one another.

Yeah, okay, yeah, not sleep
with each other's friends.

Well, she's not a friend.
She's a nurse.

She's my mother's caregiver
and we pay her.

I know, but this thing with me
and her can end at any time.

And I love you.

And you know that.

We're supposed to be exploring.

Isn't that what you're doing?
Exploring?

We agreed on this.
Uh, uh...

What you said before
about my mother's house

and all the things that
he did to me... there...

Do--Uh...

What does that have to do
with you and Dimitra?

No, I wasn't
talking about Dimitra.

I was talking about Lizzie.

Okay, but we're talking
about Dimitra now.

Well, she's the person
who takes care of your mother.

Uh-huh?

I told you...

that this might not be
the best idea

to-to-to be doing this
right now.

You can't go back
into that world,

the opera and your,
your history with Charles

and expect it to
not have effect on you.

And the stuff
with your mom

and your dad dying like that
just last year.

The stuff with my mom...

Which part?

Do you
love your mother, Jeanine?

Isn't she special?

This is my love letter to you,
Margot, my beautiful wife,

who's given me
our beautiful angel daughter.

So perfect, so intelligent.

So talented.

Hey, do we have a machete?

Yeah. Uh, for what?

For Salome's mother to use.

- To do what?
- To cut off the head.

Uh, okay, isn't the guard
going to do that with,

um, with the axe?

Right, well, I want him
to go first with the axe

and then have her mother
follow with the machete.

So, she beheads
John the Baptist.

No, that's not clear.
We nev--we never know.

I just had this idea that
she's going to be presenting

John the Baptist's head
to her daughter.

Okay, and she'll do that
on the platter.

Um... No.

I think...

Not-not on a platter.
I think in a bowl.

Right? I think in a--

in a clear plastic bowl
that's that size.

And you know what?
I also just want...

I want real tangerines
'cause I want to use them.

- Mm-hm.
- I want them to...

I want there to be action.

Okay, yeah, so

we're gonna have
a clear plastic bowl

with tangerines in it
and the head in there.

No, no, the tangerines
are gonna--

So, we're gonna establish
the clear plastic-plastic bowl

on the set,

and then we're gonna
use it later for the head.

Got it.
Okay, uh, yeah, I can...

find a machete
and a bowl

and we'll pick up
some tangerines.

Great. And I need that all
by tomorrow rehearsal.

- I'll have something.
- Thank you.

Great. Um, hey,
what do you think of this?

Is that a cast?

No, I sculpted it.

Why?

I just, I wasn't sure

that we needed
to do it that way.

You might wanna rethink this

because, um...

it's just,
if we're recording this,

this isn't gonna work
because of the closeup.

Right.

So, can you just look at it
and kind of describe

what your concerns are
with it?

Well, I think this is...

You've done really good work,
but it-it's not feeling right.

Okay. And why is that?

Because it's, um,
well, it's a sculpture

and a sculpture
changes over time.

It evolves
as you're working on it.

But a cast...
is-is like a photo.

It's a snapshot
of somebody's face

while it's being set in mold,
like a death mask.

Okay, so, then...

should I give him
any kind of direction

as I'm,
as I'm making the mask?

About what?

Like his expression as I'm
putting this stuff on his face.

That's a good question.
Um...

He's at peace
with the idea.

Of having
his head chopped off?

Of knowing that he
needs to be sacrificed.

- Okay, I gotta go. You good?
- Yeah. Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh, I think it would make sense
if-if, Ambur, you...

scrambled around
trying to pick these up.

I'd rather stay here
and watch.

Uh, Jeanine, you can't
just have tangerines

rolling into
the orchestra pit.

- Okay.
- I'm sorry.

I don't understand
what my wife is doing.

Who's chopping the head off?

Well, that's not clear.
Maybe both of you.

But...

It doesn't take two people
to chop a head off.

Normally there's an axe,
now there's a machete.

They've just sent down a guard
who's been told to do that.

And now the both of you

have to take full responsibility
for what you're doing.

I'm sorry,
I don't understand.

You don't have to understand.
You just have to trust

that this is what
you have to do.

Salome danced because
she had something to say.

Not because she had to
prove anything to anybody.

Not the least of all to you.

The winter storm
has taken down a tree

at the house I'm staying in.

No major damage done.

But the owners will come back
to find it broken.

I send them a picture
to lessen the blow.

It's so strange
to be surrounded

by photos
of somebody else's family.

Especially when
I'm thinking about

the family that you promised me.

Did you ever believe
in that family, Charles?

I try to speak with you,
Charles.

Were you... really prepared
to leave her for me?

As though you're beside me.

I've been asked
to make this personal.

So I am.

Pretending that
you can hear my words.

I feel my hair

as a singer you directed
so long ago feels his hair.

I watch how
possessed she became

and remember how
possessed I became.

The crazed enchantment.

How do I bring you back?

Bring what we had back?

I brought the book
of pictures you made.

I hold it as something sacred.

A faint
and lingering fragrance.

The inhalation of you.

Blurred traces
of your spirit, Charles.

The beautiful dance
of her fingers

as they draw energy
from his lips.

Your lips.

The moon has a
strange look tonight.

She is like a madwoman

seeking everywhere for lovers.

I can feel you beside me
as I watch.

The way your fingers
ran over my skin.

The electric shock
of your touch.

Having you inside me.

I wanted you so much.

And thou did'st
fill my veins with fire.

Wherefore dids't thou
not look at me?

If thou hast looked at me,

thou hast loved me.

Well, I know that thou
would'st have loved me.

I shoot the new singers
in their costumes

for the first time.

They look just like their
counterparts from back then.

You look amazing, Carolyn.

They laugh nervously
as I tell them

how good they look.

But I know that they'll never
achieve the crazy rapture

you got with your singers
back then.

- Where's my mark?
- Oh, mark there.

What more can I do
to inspire them, Charles...

to get the same performance
as you did?

Never!

I will kiss thy mouth,
Jokanaan

I will kiss thy mouth

Princess, thou art
like a garden of myrrh

Thou art the dove
of all doves

Look not at this man

Do not speak
such words to him

I cannot suffer them

I will kiss...

Carolyn?

Is there any way you can
move your head up and down?

Because I-I just really wanna--
I want it to--

be very clear as to what...

what you're doing.

And-and if you look at
what Ambur's doing,

I can-I can, I can feel
her desperation

in her entire body.

She's just, and I-and I,
I just wanna feel like, um,

like you have that
exact same need.

So I guess if you just,
like, a little bit more...

movement

in the moment.

- You want me to look at Ambur.
- No, no, no, no, no.

Just
you stay with Narraboth.

And with the--more...

- Okay.
- I think we should

maybe... take it back
to the rehearsal room.

We'll have to get the
intimacy coordinator for this.

She should be around
for this kind of thing.

The intimacy coordinator.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Was it important to you
back then? And...

is it important to you now?

I'm sorry, what?
Was what important?

That it feels like they're
actually having sex on stage.

Right.

Well, I'm trying to...

- fulfill the original concept.
- Yeah, but it's your show now.

- In some ways.
- And whatever erotic energy

existed back then,
it's not necessarily

what we're dealing
with now. Right?

I mean, you're not
the same person that you were

and he's not the same person
that he was.

Charles is dead.

Hm.

Of course.

So he's definitely
not the same person. Hm.

So, we're gonna go
all the way down.

Long, flat back
and then roll up... Great.

And then do a real, um,
do a really thorough, like,

back bend, like a roll-through.
Kind of like cat cow in...

Where is he?

Uh, he just messaged.
He's running late 15 minutes.

Okay, I don't think
we can do this without him.

And this intimacy coordinator's
not working for me.

- Feels like a waste of time.
- But we have no choice.

We need an intimacy coordinator
for these scenes.

Mmm... Do we?

Yes, it's a requirement.

Okay, Ambur, stop.

Luke, could you come with me
for a second please?

It's good. It's so good.
The physicality--

working on physicality's great
but it has to be

driven from something, right?

You have to be inspired
by what is happening.

There has to be
something moving you

that's more in your body
and your soul.

So, as she is singing,

about how beautiful
John the Baptist's hair is,

you are using that
as permission

as an opportunity that the music
is also giving you

to then touch him.
Right? So, you--

From the part where
she says his hair is amazing.

So, it's like you suddenly
have this ability

to express through your fingers

everything that Salome
can only sing about.

It is...
in thy hair...

that I am enamored.

Let me touch thy hair.

Thank you.

And then there's this
crazy thing happening downstage.

And, so, everything that
you're doing is unleashed then.

Think of Salome.

She is using
everything in her power

to have this
crazy man beheaded.

So, what is the point
of all this sacrifice

that ends
in the most gruesome thing

that you've ever seen on stage?

Is it passion?
Is it punishment? What is it?

But whatever it is, that emotion
that you're getting from it,

that emotion
is filtering through you.

It's painful
and it's beautiful

and-and-and-and-and, so,
you're not just sucking him off,

you are fully consuming him
so much so that he has...

he has nothing else to do
but pick up the gun,

point it to his head
and shoot himself dead

just as he's
about to come.

Explosion.

And then Salome
picks up the gun

that he just used
to kill himself

and she walks downstage,
she puts the gun to her head

just like she's going to
shoot herself.

I don't understand.
Are you... Are you spying on me?

Of course not.

I'm here to support you
in any way I can.

Okay, so, I don't understand
what you're saying.

That management
is a little concerned

about some of the ideas that
you had at the presentation.

- Beatrice.
- About making changes.

I said
they are small changes.

Right, but then you had
this idea about Salome

shooting herself.

What?

He shoots himself.
Narraboth.

But then
she picks up his gun and--

And contemplates it.

She doesn't kill herself.

If, if she killed herself,
then the opera

would end right there
and it doesn't. Right?

If she died,

then there wouldn't be
anybody to sing her role.

Like, what,
what's with the head, then?

I mean, what is this all for?
That is ridiculous.

But now you have this idea
about her mother

and the machete...

I-I have to tell them.
I'm just letting you know that.

So, you are spying on me.

Look, we all understand
that you must

feel very conflicted
about all of this, but--

No, I'm not.
I'm-I'm really not.

Really, when I chose...

When I accepted this job,

I told myself that I was gonna
make the most of it. Okay?

So, you know,
you can tell management

that it was an odd choice
on their part to remount this.

Okay, considering
that everybody

thought that Charles
was difficult, to say the least.

Even though management
happened to be married to him

for 30 years.

It was Beatrice's decision.
It's a successful show.

Okay, but she didn't have to
fulfill his stupid wish.

Nobody had to,
to take that request seriously.

It's not like somebody was gonna
sue them if I didn't remount it.

No one needed to know.
I didn't need to know.

We wouldn't even be
having this conversation, Kathy.

Look, I should head back.

Everybody's getting
off break now and...

Yeah. It's fine.

Your daughter
is going to dance for me.

Will you not dance for me,
Salome?

That is really enlightening.

If you dance for me,

you may ask of me
whatever you wish

and I will give it to thee.

But that leads me
to my next question.

I hear you're making a diary
about the whole experience.

Is that like, um...

like a last letter
to Charles?

A journal, uh, yeah,
I was thinking about that.

I was. I think it's a--
It would be nice to...

To-to, um,
to write about my...

my experience as I'm
taking on this production.

Um, I am shooting some footage

behind the scenes
with my iPhone.

I think that's gonna...
turn into something.

I don't know what yet, but
it's important to me to, to...

to have that footage.

Okay, that sounds
really interesting. And, um...

Can we talk about the
relationship between you two

during the original production?

What do you mean?

I mean your relationship
with Charles.

Our working relationship.

I mean, didn't it
go beyond that? It's...

kind of common knowledge
around here.

I-I don't feel comfortable
talking about that.

Okay, if-if we can
not discuss that.

Of course.

How about
I share something with you?

I knew Charles.

Charles told me his story once

about how the whole
dance section in the opera

is, um...

based on something
that happened with your father.

In real life.

And I-I had the
absolute privilege

to see the essay that you
wanted to print in the program.

I thought it was
incredibly disrespectful

they didn't want to use it.

But, um...

I was interested
in your fascination

in Herod's line to Salome,
you know?

About loving her too much.

Charles told me that your dad
used to make these crazy videos

about you and you both would go
into the forest when were little

and he would tape you while
you made these bizarre dances.

I mean, how do you feel
about how that has inspired,

...very clearly...

a major part
of this whole show?

I...

think I need a break.

Excuse me.

Something wrong?

Beatrice wants
to have a word with you.

Do you feel
the wind on your skin?

Young Jeanine: Yeah.

Yes? It's more sensitive now,
isn't it?

- It is true, Salome.
- Take away one sense,

all the others
become heightened.

Your beauty
has troubled me.

More intense.
Remember that.

Your beauty
has grievously troubled me.

That's your responsibility
as an artist.

And I have
looked at you too much.

It may be
that I have loved you too much.

She's had a good day.

Is that right, Mom?

If that's what she says.

Oh.

Do you know where I am?

Doing your work.

And what is that?

Making plays.

You've always liked plays.

You like making things up.

Are you proud
of your daughter?

Oh, yes.

See?

Proud of the things
I make up?

Do you know how long
I'm gonna be gone, Mom?

I'm not sure.

Ask Dimitra.
She knows.

Down to the hour.

- 'Til the end of the month.
- Oh.

Yeah. Exactly.
Just enough time.

She wonders if I know.

This is probably almost exactly
how Beatrice imagined me.

Your wife.

Just a silly little threat.
Another passing fling.

What does she really know about
what has gone on in this house?

I imagine her swinging around
to glance at the family portrat

suddenly frightened
by the story it tells.

How my father
read me so many plays

and made me act out
so many scenes.

His artistic aspirations for me

somehow always as frustrated
as his aspirations for himself.

Now that we've abandoned
the sculpture idea,

we're going to try
for the more traditional method.

So the first step in the process
that you're going to see

is I will put a layer of
petroleum jelly on Johan's face,

and then, on top of that,
I'll use a soft alginate gel

which will pick up
the details of his skin.

And for that phase
I'm gonna work really quickly

because it dries super-fast,

like, it's gonna set
in less than ten minutes.

So...

I end up being
your guinea pig after all.

Yeah, I just realized that

there needed to be
a lot more detail in the head.

It's really gotta be lifelike,
especially for the broadcast.

No worries.
I'm used to this.

It's the way
it's usually done.

I'm sorry
to have wasted your time.

Not at all.

I enjoy watching you work.

Can I keep it? I mean...
the sculpture?

Yeah, I guess.

I'll give it to the
national gallery back home.

Okay, I'm gonna put some
on your lips now

so you might
want to stop talking.

My lips will be sealed.

Uh, no, no.

- Stop it?
- No, just... Stop!

Stop!

This was unexpected.

A singer
playing John the Baptist

makes a pass at me.

What's that thing in the Bible
about judge not?

Things became...

really complicated.

Like, when you and I were
working on that thing in school

things were...

really intense.

With Charles and you.

Mmm.

And...

And other things.

I sensed
something was going on.

No you didn't.

No.

How?

I was watching you...

the whole time.

I couldn't
take my eyes off you.

Um, I could tell
you were in a crazy place.

I wanted to help you
find a way out.

Somewhere.

Here...

there's an awful
sense of vagueness.

Uncertainty
between what I remember

and what actually took place.

The girl takes off her blindfod

and stares ahead
as he scurries away.

She feels the blindfold
in her hand

rubbing it
as other shadows appear.

Ravenous men

watching as she dances
for her father.

And for them.

I never agreed with
the way you staged

these dark monsters, Charles.

How you made Salome look
like a stripper in a club

performing for
a bunch of leering customers.

It was never like that.

Not from what I remembered.

Not from what I told you.

They touched her.

They stroked her.

Did she give them permission?

You never made that clear.

This dark doppelganger.

No, it was never like that.

That's not how it felt.

I remember dark fangs and talos

and their terrible wings
as they beat the air around me.

I remember feeling trapped.

But there was nowhere
to escape to.

Now, this time...

I try something different.

And then, now,
I kind of wanna feel the trees.

I wanna feel
like we're in the forest.

Not deep into it but I just
wanna sense she's in the forest.

I want the trees
and branches to come alive

with a sense of the horror
they are witnessing.

I really wanna feel...

Like their spirits
are being tortured

as Salome performs
her nightmarish

dance of the seven veils.

And can you
make the body feel like

you're almost
getting younger?

From a woman
into a little girl.

And then I want a scream.
I want a, I want a, just a...

Amazing. Yeah. Okay, perf--
And then she's bigger.

You can get even bigger
and bigger.

I am Salome.

Daughter of Herodias.

Princess of Judea.

What does Ambur
really think of the ballerinas?

I wanna break them.

- Are you serious?
- Mm, very.

Just cover my eyes.

Let me kiss thy mouth,
Jokanaan

Cursed be thou...

Daughter of
an incestuous mother

be thou accursed

Let me kiss thy mouth,
Jokanaan

I will not look at thee

Thou art accursed, Salome,
thou are accursed

Thou art accursed

Thou art accursed

Thou art accursed

It is thy mouth
that I desire.

It is like a pomegranate
cut in twain

with a knife.

Suffer me
to kiss thy mouth.

No...

Stop! Stop!

I don't understand.
Was this staged?

Uh, what do you mean?

Did you ask him
to do this?

No. No, of course not.
I told him to stop.

- Okay, but...
- And he didn't.

And why are you thinking
of sending this out now?

Didn't this happen
a few days ago?

Last week
as I was making the cast.

And you finished
making the cast,

let's be clear on that.

This thing happened

then you went ahead
and finished making the cast.

It took me a while
to fully absorb it.

You asked me
to document everything

that went into making
the head of John the Baptist.

And this is everything.

Okay.

But this is also
a recording of, uh,

of an attack. Uh...

A sexual attack.

And you're making that public.

That's right.

Just before we open
this production.

Why?

I am...

just completing the job
that I was told to do.

I have an email from
the marketing team that says

I can, I can do this
any way that I want to.

That I should make it personal.

And this just got
very personal.

I feel that
I have a responsibility

to make it known.

We're not obliged
to give our approval.

Really?

You're not gonna
give me your approval?

Is that the message
that the opera company

wants to put out there

when I decide to
show this anyway?

I just-I don't-I don't think
that is a great idea

to try and ban me
from making this public.

Does he know?

Johan.
That you're planning to do this?

Not yet.

Okay.

What can we do
to get you to reconsider?

I know this must have been
very traumatic for you, Clea.

I'm not trying to
diminish that.

Is there any way
we can find a solution?

I would that they
presently bring me

on a silver platter

Surely yes,
on a silver platter

What is she doing?

- What do you mean?
- Ambur, what is she doing?

What is it you would have
on a silver platter

Salome, you are
who are fairer

than all the daughters
of Judea

Why is she
in a different opera right now?

Uh, is it the performance?

Whatsoever it may be,
they shall give it to you

I--I...

I don't understand.
I thought...

Can we, like,
pause for one second?

Uh, what is it
that you're not happy with?

What is it, Salome?

Put your hand
to your face.

Yeah, perfect. Just like that.

It's sensual.
You know that word.

Some people have a problem
with that word.

But it sounds good.
It's not bad.

I'm sorry, what is she doing?
What is she doing?

Why is your hand
to your face like that?

Are you playful?

The head of Jokanaan
No!

It's... Stop. Stop.
Sorry.

Ah! That is well said
my daughter

That is well said

Stop. Stop, stop. Sorry.

I'm sorry. I have one--

- It's my rehearsal. Excuse me.
- I just need a moment.

- It's ridiculous.
- It's very important, okay?

Ambur, there's nothing
mischievous

- ...or sly or playful
- Go back into the dance.

- ...about any of this.
- Please go back to letter Q.

- You're not a sex kitten.
- Big letter Q with upbeat.

You're not happy
about this decision.

We take it with an upbeat.

This is not something that
you're taking pleasure from.

You did not
dance naked for your father

and allow yourself to be raped
by a gang of strangers

for some petulant little game.

You agreed to do
this crazy dance

because you desperately needed
to show John the Baptist

that you love him.

Right? And this monster
is taking advantage of that.

And your mother is just
standing there, watching.

You are taking this action
because you want to, somehow,

liberate yourself
from your father

and everything
that he represents.

You need John the Baptist's head
because you need to prove

that you are worthy
of being loved.

You're not just a plaything
for your father's dark need

that he has to fulfill.

This is something that you
now need to do for yourself.

Right?

Is it, is it gonna
make you feel better?

Is it gonna change anything?

You have no idea

what is going to come
of your actions.

Nothing is clear to you

right now except your pain.

Dance for me.

Dance for me.

Suffer me to touch thy body.

The moon
has a strange look tonight.

Hasn't she a strange look?

Keep following me.

Keep following my voice.

Keep coming, keep coming,
keep coming.

Slowly, slowly
you start to collapse.

And as you're doing that,
you hear my words

and you remember these words.
They make you feel safe.

Why would you ask Dimitra
to do that?

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have
to explain that to you, Paul.

It's always haunted me.
Okay?

- Okay. It's just so...
- It's what? Is it unnerving?

- It's-it's crazy.
- Yeah, it is crazy.

You know what's even crazier?
I told Dimitra

that I was okay with
what you guys were doing

as long as she did
this one thing for me.

And you were
sincere about that?

That if-if she does that
to the painting, then...

then you're cool with
what's happening between us.

Okay. Um...

Okay.

Can you see that, Margot?

Wh... Oh, dear.

What's happened
to Harold's face?

Your daughter
asked me to do that.

Why?

Not sure, Margot.
She didn't explain.

So, why did you do it?

Because.

She doesn't want to see his face
anymore when she comes to visit.

So, um...

can you think of
a reason why?

Jeanie thinks
that Harold was a bad man.

Why?

He loved her.

What's wrong with that?

He loved her too much.

What does that mean?

You can leave the painting
like that if you want.

I hurt you.

How can you expect me
to agree?

Because, Rachel,
you're gonna get to sing

with a real orchestra.

This is what you
always dreamed of. Shit.

It's blackmail, Clea.
You've blackmailed the company

into letting me perform.

I've discussed it with Ambur

and she's agreed to it.

- Well, that's even worse.
- Why?

- Is she still getting paid?
- Well, I mean...

normally it would go to you,
but, in this case...

But, we'll, just, uh,
pay her something.

No, we didn't get into
to those details.

- Like a kickback?
- No, it's not like that.

Or go back
and extort more.

Okay, why are you
looking at this

as though I've done something,
like, criminal?

Because it's really
the only way to see it, Clea.

Maybe you even planned it
from the beginning.

Rachel, how could you
say that to me?

He made a pass at me.

I didn't plan that.
I said stop and he didn't.

- And you taped it all.
- Yes, because the opera company

told me to.

And he knew
that the camera was on him?

Yes.

He was aware
that he was being taped?

Yes. I just told you that.

Oh, my God.
You sound just like them.

Rachel...

I am doing this...
for you.

It's not about me.

Clea...

It's because I love you.

How can you say that?

He attacked you.

You-you don't feel

- ...anything about that?
- Of course I do.

You knew
the camera was on him.

You knew that you could
use his actions

to frame him and, then,

the whole time it's happening
you-you have a plan?

No, the plan
didn't occur to me until

after it happened.

Clea...

what you are proposing to do
is wrong.

What are you going to do?

With the recording?

I don't know.

Shouldn't we
go back to the opening?

It's only a five-minute walk.
We can head out really soon.

Right, you have to
take a bow.

Yeah, I have to
take my big bow.

I just want to take a moment
to celebrate with you.

Just the two of us.

I had a dream last night
that I got to play the part.

Like one of those
anxiety dreams?

What do you mean?

Like when you open your mouth
and nothing comes out

or you're late for an exam
or you don't know

...the answers to stuff.

Ooh. Incredible.

No, I, uh, I sang well.

It's not my house.
Well, that's unsurprising.

Good for you.

Even after I lost my head,
I kept singing.

Really? That's handy.

It was strange.

Yeah, I bet. Cheers.

It's the toughest part
of the opera.

What?

She sings at the head
way too long

before she kisses it.

Well, there's nothing we can
really do about that now.

I wanna kiss thy lips,
John the Baptist.

I will not look at thee.

Thou art accursed.

Okay.

It is of thy hair
that I am enamored.

There is nothing in the world

like your hair.

When the moon hides her face.

When the stars are afraid.

Let me touch thy hair.

The head of Jokanaan

No!

Ah! That is well said,
my daughter.

Can you fill this?

What is it?

Who has taken my ring?

There was a ring
in my right hand

Who has drunk my wine?

There was wine in my cup

It was full of wine
Someone has drunk it

I thought we had
an understanding.

- We did.
- What, she went ahead anyway?

- Obviously.
- Is this already online?

Yeah, that's how I saw it.

I am sure some
misfortune will happen

There is no sound.

I hear nothing

Why does he not cry out,
this man?

Ah! If any man
sought to kill me,

I would cry out,
I would struggle.

I would not suffer...

Strike, Naaman, strike,
I tell you...

I apologized after this

and I don't know
what else to do, I-I-I...

Stop, please stop. Enough.

But, uh...

do I still take
the curtain call?

Ah! Thou wouldst not
suffer me to kiss...

thy mouth, Jokanaan!

Well, I will kiss it now.

I will bite it
with my teeth...

An enraged princess
who would extract her price.

with my teeth

as one bites
a ripe fruit.

Her stepfather begs her
to change her mind.

I know I have sworn an oath,
he says.

I have always loved.

Perhaps I have
loved you too much.

The conductor leaves his podium
and finds his way to the stage.

As the curtain rises,
Salome is there.

Her dress
splattered in blood.

She waves her red-stained hands
to the cheering crowd.

She expresses her gratitude
to the musicians

in the pit below.

I'm taping this all

fully aware
that I'm supposed to be

backstage now as well.

I pan my camera
back to the stage

and see Salome gesturing

for the conductor
to take his applause.

This is where
I'm supposed to now be.

Taking my bow.

But they realize
that I'm a no-show.

They're still applauding
for you, Charles.

Even with
all the changes I've made.

Will mine be ready in time?

No.

We'll have to use
his head tonight.

That's a bit of a stretch.

Well, we don't have a choice.

We're gonna work on yours,
but it'll take a while.

We should have it ready
for the recording, though.

The recording?

So, I'll be doing
the broadcast?

Wow.

You're very lucky.

What if I'm terrible?

What if I can't see
the conductor?

You know, the whole thing
with the blindfold.

The blindfold's see-through.

No, you'll be amazing.

I know how seriously
you and Rachel were preparing.

I'd prefer to do it with her.

With Rachel.

Well, that's not an option.

I'm sorry.

- I didn't mean to--
- No, it's okay.

I can imagine how brilliant

you and Rachel
would've been together.

And she's gonna get
her chance too.

One day.

From our conversation

she knew that a sculpture
wouldn't do.

That a cast
was more accurate.

- Ready?
- Even if it was more invasive.

Okay, keep your eyes closed.
Just keep 'em closed.

- Don't open them.
- Why not?

Because some of the plaster

might have stuck
to your eyelashes

and you don't
want it to hurt.

No, I don't.

Little bit more.

Okay.

Now, open them slowly.

Mmm.

She stares at his face
with a sense of accomplishment.

Proud of how
she's created this...

most magical of mirrors.

My daughter
has done well

Herodias sings that Salome
has made the right choice.

Finally, after years
of witnessing her husband

abuse her daughter,
she's ready to inflict

some crazy justice.

This is my interpretation,
Charles.

I have no idea
what you would've made of it.

As the empty bowl
is presented,

she has no more than a minute
to fill it with the fake blood.

The tricky part comes next.

She takes the prop,
places it under her arm.

Then, like a proud mother
nursing her child

she feeds the special formula
that looks so real

into the gaping wound
of the severed head.

She needs to fill the cavity
to capacity

so there's enough blood to drip
onto Salome's white dress

for the entire length
of her final aria.

He was so beautiful to her...

that if he had only
looked at her,

he would've loved her too.

That the mystery of love

is greater
than the mystery of death.

She is monstrous,
thy daughter.

She is altogether
monstrous!

I approve of what
my daughter has done.

And I will stay here now.

Ah, there speaks
the incestuous wife!

Come! I will not stay here

Come! I tell thee.

Surely some terrible thing
will befall.

Hi. How'd it go?

It's still going.

I would've loved
to have been there.

I'm in the dressing room now.
She's kissing my lips.

She just said
that the mystery of love

is greater than
the mystery of death.

She's about to say
that love has a bitter taste.

They're calling me to go.

I have kissed
thy mouth, John the Baptist.

I have kissed thy mouth.