Alternate Endings for Carmilla

1.

LEILA (SOPRANO) sways in the waves.

2.

The scene is a reflection on a Mylar screen hung over the stage.

3.

HASSAN (BARITONE) dead, with a scimitar in the chest.

4.

EUNUCH (CONTRALTO) curses The Giaour (Tenor).

5.

THE GIAOUR (TENOR) is terrified.

6.

CONTRALTO:
But first, on earth as Vampire sent,
Thy corse shall from its tomb be rent:
Then ghastly haunt thy native place...

7.

Contralto recedes into the shadows.

8.

The Giaour's "mad scene."

9.

Strips of gray fabric (reference to a monk's habit since the original poem ends in a monastery) bind him -

10.

- in a show of stage pyrotechnics reminiscent of Kabuki.

11.

Black out, silence and

12.

Applause. The spot finds the tenor.

13.

The soprano and the bartone join him.

14.

And the contralto (the star).

15.

Finally, the composer, looking barely 40.

16.

The audience goes wild.

17.

iNT. OPERAHOUSE/LOBBY - NIGHT

In front of the green room entrance.

18.

AUDIENCE MEMBER #1
They should have gotten a real castrato.

19.

AUDIENCE MEMBER #2
Haven't seen one since...

X looks up and sees -

20.

ALETHEA HOLDSMITH approach.

21.

X
You are leaving already, Letha? We are going to the Last Empress to celebrate.

ALETHEA
You congratulate Christopher for me. I promised my students I would edit their manifesto.

22.

EXT. OPERAHOUSE - NIGHT

Alethea drives away with her nephew at the wheel.*

23.

X sees -

24.

CARMILLA, all in white except for blood-red coral at her ears -

25.

His heart jumps forward after her.

26.

She runs across, and is gone.

27.

Across the street is the ocean. Has she disappeared into the dark waves like Leila?

28.

It begins to drizzle.

- THE END HK/'98 Version -