FADE IN
Act 1
INT. RECITAL HALL - 19:15 (THE NIGHT BEFORE)
A grand piano on stage. PETER takes a mid-level center seat.
PETER (V.O.): I believe it's one of the best seats.
Other AUDIENCE begin to take their seats.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The star of the show, a tenor, assigned this seat to me.
Later, a LADY joins Peter.
LADY: If I was diligent in rehearsing, I'd be singing on stage rather than sitting here.
PETER: I can't sing well. My vocal range is limited. I knew it when I was young.
The Lady shows Peter an image of her in red on stage.
PETER (Cont'd): Wow! I envy singers having wide vocal range and quality voice.
Act 2
INT. RECITAL HALL - 19:30
Full house. On stage, spot light on MCs. Then, the TENOR and a PIANIST appear.
PETER (V.O.): The tenor is my HKUST colleague.
Accompanied by the pianist, the tenor sings. Peter reads the setlist.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The chosen songs are primarily in European languages or Japanese.
Reading.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The tenor sent me their English translations beforehand.
Watching.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I prefer to appreciate his voice range and versatility than to understand the lyrics.
Watching.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He has great blend of power and control.
Watching.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The melodies are complex. It sounds that he can execute each note very well.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I must admit that skills and emotions aside, I don't get the songs' messages as I don't speak, German, French, Italian or Spanish.
Later, a FLUTIST with a gold flute is performing solo.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): She's very good. Mine is a silver one. And I still can't play "The Butterfly Lovers Theme song" well.
Later, we hear songs in Japanese and see Peter trying to imitate.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I understand "Watasi", and the three notes are within my voice range!
Later, the Pianist is performing solo.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He's very good. I'm still improving my skill in playing "Theme from A Summer Place."
After encores. We hear the Tenor speaking: ...Perhaps, I'd sing the Cantonese version of the HKUST anthem...
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I can do lip-syncing when the pre-recorded version is being played!
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's why I've turned to music composition and lyrics writing.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'd only write songs that I can sing, with guitar chords I can play.
As the audience begin to leave, Peter talks to the lady.
PETER: When will you do your recital again?
LADY: Next year.
Peter smiles.
EXT. STREETS, CENTRAL - 22:00
Peter is walking with a GENTLEMAN.
GENTLEMAN: We performed on stage at the Tsimshatsui promenade. When was that?
PETER: It was April, 2014.
PETER (V.O.): Promoting creativity, I meant to revive Hong Kong's pop culture.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Anyhow, music is infectious and spreads similar to viruses.
Act 3
INT. STUDIO - 20:15
Taking the seat before a Clavinova, Peter plays "Theme from A Summer Place".
PETER (V.O.): I've written one emotive piano music. But it's too easy to play.
Finishing, Peter grabs his smartphone and checks an AI drawing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): See if I can create an opportunity to perform my original music in public again.
.
Having pushed a sound switch to "cosmos", Peter plays the Clavinova again.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Even If music can't give a soul to the cosmos, life is better with it!
FADE OUT
THE END
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