
FADE IN:
INT. MELBOURNE DOMESTIC AIRPORT - DAY
Having got his printed boarding pass and baggage tag, PETER looks perplexed.
PETER
I thought I should board
before 10am. Now, its
some time after 10am.
Peter checks his seat.
PETER (V.O.)
The airline has changed
my seat too...And the
flight no. isn't the same.
The Sydney destination
is alright. How could I
check in the wrong flight?
I meant to meet up my
elder son at Sydney's
International Airport at
noon!
Seeing a fight information display system, Peter examines the details.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I see. My original flight
was cancelled. I've been
put in the next flight.
Peter uses his smart phone to check a flight status.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
My son's flight from Hong
Kong has been delayed
for over an hour? That's
usual, but is meaningful
to us!
INT. SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY
Arrival hall. PLATO and Peter meet.
PLATO
Let's take Uber to our
hotel.
Peter nods.
EXT. ROAD - AIRPORT TO ZETLAND - DAY
Raining. Plato and Peter are at the rear passenger seats. Boring suburb scenes.
PETER
I'm glad that you made
an effort to fly in.
FLASHBACK
INT. SKI RESORT, SEOUL - NIGHT (2014)
Father and two sons chat and dine happily inside a room.
END FLASHBACK
INT. A SYDNEY LODGE - DAY
Cosy lobby. ZENO meets Plato and Peter.
PETER Where should we go?
ZENO
Let's go to the city for
lunch.
Peter and Plato nod.
PETER
And then to see the
Sydney Harbour, as
there's a little sunshine
now.
Plato and Zeno begin to chat as they walk out the lodge.
PETER (V.O.)
I'm decades older than
them.
INT. TICKET OFFICE, SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE - DAY
A short queue before Peter, Plato and Zeno.
PETER
Let's try our luck and see
if we can enjoy the artistic
experience inside.
Both Plato and Zeno nod. When it's their turn, they approach the COUNTER STAFF (20s).
PETER (Cont'd)
Are tickets available for
tonight's shows?
COUNTER STAFF
(Nodding)
Yes! Beethoven Symphony
No. 5 or Madama Butterfly.
Peter's eyes are wide open.
PETER
Oh, Madama Butterfly!
Peter looks at Plato and Zeno.
PETER (V.O.)
I believe they prefer Beethoven,
as they play the piano. .
PLATO
Madama Butterfly is an opera.
There' re casts acting. And
we enjoy more.
As Zeno gestures easy, Peter proceeds as suggested.
PETER
Three tickets for Madama
Butterfly...
Getting the tickets, Peter looks particularly high.
PETER (Cont'd)
The melodic part of the
opera sounds like this...
Peter begins to hum but it seems new to Zeno.
INT. JOAN SUTHERLAND THEATRE - NIGHT
7:30 pm - orchestra music and arousing opening scene - over a dozen Japanese women are in rope bondage on a big stage riser.
PETER (V.O.)
Wow, surprise!
We hear soprano and tenor in Italian lyrics. Subtitles in simplified Chinese characters and English are shown on overhanging visual display. As Act 1 ends, an Intermission follows.
PLATO
When was the last time
you watched a classical performance?
PETER
Before you're born.
FLASHBACK
INT. CONCERT HALL, HONG KONG - NIGHT (1985-1989)
SHARON (early 30s) and Peter (early 30s) enjoy classical performances.
END FLASHBACK
Act II begins and ends with Un Bei Di (One Fine Day).
PETER (V.O.)
That's it!
A big round of applause.
FLASHBACK
INT. GLOVER GARDEN, NAGASAKI - NIGHT (2018)
At the hills of Minami-Yamate is "Madam Butterfly House", which overlooks the Nagasaki Port. Peter tours around the elegantly-lit colonial homes. He sees pictures and leaflets about Madam Butterfly.
PETER (V.O.)
It's a cover version of a
Japanese song about
Madam Butterfly that
brings me here.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd)
I've traced the original
version and watched related
music videos many times.
I can even sing a bit of the song in Japanese...
END FLASHBACK
Act III resumes with the soprano and tenor.
PETER (V.O.)
The singing must be good.
But I can't recall any melody
except "One Fine Day".
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
The tragedy is about a foreigner's abuse of his
dominant position and
the sacrifice of the
subservient local. The plot simply reflects the
practice of the day.
Act III ends. Peter checks the time: 10.10pm.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Through self-induced
coincidences, my pursuit
about Madam Bufferfly
is now complete - at the
Sydney Opera House!
EXT. BUS - NIGHT
Father and sons chat about the Madama Bufferfly.
PLATO
The drama is a tragedy.
PETER
The dramatist tries to
evoke feelings of pity. Romeo and Juliet is
another tragedy.
Plato reflects as Peter takes a look at Zeno.
PETER (V.O.)
When Zeno performed the
Romeo and Juliet ballet
as a young dancer, he told
me that he was happy to
hear at backstage that
Romeo and Juliet were
dead. That meant he'd
soon be back on stage
to thank the spectators
and the day is done!
We see dimly-lit roads.
PETER
Zeno, you know where to
get off?
Zeno nods.
PETER (V.O.)
Great that our first day of
togetherness in Sydney
is better than expected!
FADE OUT. The End