Hitman Blood Money Curtains Down revolves almost entirely around 1 gunshot that will happen whether Agent 47 is there or not. A theatre rehearsal repeatedly builds towards an actor being executed on stage, and the player can manipulate that moment in several ways. You can replace the prop pistol with a real gun, take the actor’s place and fire the shot yourself, or use the sound of the performance to hide a gunshot from somewhere else in the theatre. It’s the Hitman formula at its finest because the level creates a routine and then gives the player several ways to interfere with it.
The level takes place inside a theatre during a rehearsal, creating an enclosed space with a ridiculous number of floors, rooms, people wandering around, and small details to interact with. Agent 47 must assassinate actor Alvaro D’Alvade and wealthy businessman Richard Delahunt while navigating through backstage areas, private boxes and a labyrinth of underground hallways which are ridiculously easy to get lost in. The theatre is constantly doing something without the player, which makes it feel like a real location that 47 has entered instead of a level waiting for him to arrive.
Curtains Down is still one of Hitman Blood Money’s most memorable missions because most of these moving parts eventually connect. The actors perform without you, the music tells you where Alvaro is in his routine, Richard watches because he is obsessed with him, and killing Alvaro changes what Richard does afterwards. This is something A Vintage Year struggled with because its NPCs, targets and locations often felt separated from one another. Curtains Down takes many of those same ideas and actually connects them together.
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Hitman Blood Money Curtains Down Happens Without You
Alvaro D’Alvade is an actor taking part in rehearsals for a show where his character is executed. He walks onto the stage, performs the scene, gets shot, falls over, eventually gets back up and then returns to his dressing room before the whole process begins again. There is also a musical soundtrack accompanying the performance, with the execution taking place during the final section, and this music can be heard throughout large parts of the theatre.
This means the soundtrack gives the player information about Alvaro without requiring them to physically watch him. If the music is playing then I know he is on stage, while silence usually means he is either moving between areas or sitting inside his dressing room. If I’m somewhere underground and hear the performance approaching the execution, I roughly know how much time I have left to reach whatever position I need. That becomes especially useful because Curtains Down is a maze, so hearing the music getting closer to the gunshot while standing in the wrong corridor creates some genuine panic.
The rehearsal itself takes a few minutes and happens twice before repeating, meaning Alvaro can remain on stage for quite a long time. This gives a first-time player plenty of time to explore the map and prepare whatever assassination they are attempting, although it can make repeat attempts feel a little slow if you miss the window you wanted. I think the repetition works particularly well for the assassinations requiring precise timing because the first performance can essentially become a practice run. The player hears the sequence, learns roughly when the fake gunshot happens, and then gets another opportunity to use that information.
The theatre itself makes this routine more important because getting from one side of the level to the other can take several minutes. A player entering for the first time will likely walk into the seating area, see Alvaro on stage and Richard sitting inside his private box, but actually reaching either target is far more complicated. There is no simple route from the public theatre into the dressing rooms, so reaching Alvaro requires learning how the backstage and underground areas connect.
The Theatre Makes Getting to Alvaro Part of the Challenge
Accessing the underground sections normally requires either the correct disguise or carefully sneaking through one of the guarded entrances. There is a door beside the lobby which leads downstairs, but a guard patrols nearby and will stop you if he sees you enter. The lobby begins with a large group of NPCs wandering around, and these people can obscure the guard’s view long enough for you to collect the real pistol and slip through the door if you time it properly. It’s a small interaction, but it immediately establishes that the people filling the theatre can affect how you move through it.
There is also a worker at the bottom of the stairs who can provide a useful disguise, while another eventually heads to the toilets and can be incapacitated there. Neither method is particularly complicated, but both give the player different ways of solving the same access problem. Once you have the disguise, the difficult part becomes figuring out where you actually need to go because the underground sections contain storage rooms, dead ends, backstage areas and corridors that all look fairly similar.
The confusing layout works surprisingly well because the rehearsal continues while you are trying to navigate it. There are technically several areas that could reasonably be described as backstage, and signs direct you towards different parts of the theatre without always making the route obvious. The signs are also in French, so if you don’t know French then unlucky. The storage rooms are full of shelves, gas canisters and random pieces of scenery, while several corridors seem to lead somewhere important before ending in another room filled with garbage.
The music can still be heard clearly down here, which turns that confusion into part of the assassination. If the performance is approaching the final gunshot and I’m standing behind the actual stage instead of near the dressing rooms, then I know I’ve gone wrong and need to move quickly. The map would still be confusing without the rehearsal, but the routine gives getting lost a consequence because missing your window can mean waiting through another performance.
Assassinating Alvaro D’Alvade
Curtains Down is remembered partly because it allows another character to assassinate your target for you. A fellow actor uses a World War 2 pistol during the execution scene, and Agent 47 can replace the prop weapon with a real one. The actor then performs the scene exactly as normal and unknowingly kills Alvaro in front of the entire theatre. This type of assassination is always interesting in Hitman because the player is manipulating another character rather than simply creating an accident and waiting for the target to walk into it.
The real pistol can be collected from the coat-check area near the beginning of the mission. Speaking to the attendant also provides some information about what is happening around the theatre and reveals that Richard Delahunt is a huge fan of Alvaro, to the point that he watches all of his rehearsals. This appears to be a hint towards what will happen after Alvaro is killed, and it is a nice example of the level explaining character behaviour before that information becomes mechanically important.
Getting the gun is the easy part because you still have to carry it backstage and reach the co-star’s dressing room. This takes you through the underground sections and eventually into an area where another guard stands outside the rooms. The guard is technically protecting Alvaro, but he will also confront the player for entering the co-star’s room, which makes the theatre feel slightly more believable because his behaviour is connected to the area rather than a single doorway the developers wanted blocked.
Once inside, you still can’t immediately swap the weapon. The co-star returns to his room, practises his stance, eventually places the prop pistol down and then heads to the toilet. You have to wait for him to put the gun down before replacing it because doing so too early means he can simply collect the original prop again. The assassination therefore becomes a sequence of small problems rather than one interaction: collect the real gun, gain backstage access, find the dressing rooms, get past the guard, understand the actor’s routine and then replace the weapon at the correct time.
The Gun Swap Shows Why Curtains Down Works
None of the individual steps involved in swapping the gun are particularly difficult, but that is exactly why the assassination works so well. Curtains Down takes several fairly simple systems and connects them into one sequence. The real pistol exists somewhere else in the theatre, the actor has his own routine, the guard controls access to the room, and the rehearsal happens regardless of whether the player is ready. Agent 47 only changes one part of that chain by replacing the weapon, but that small change completely alters the outcome.
Once the real gun is in place, the player can effectively leave. The co-star collects it, walks onto the stage and fires during the performance exactly as he would have done with the prop. This makes the theatre feel much more alive because the assassination is being carried out by characters following their existing routines rather than everyone waiting for Agent 47 to directly trigger the next step.
This is one of the biggest differences between Curtains Down and A Vintage Year. Manuel Delgado has a long routine where he meets people, moves through restricted spaces and interacts with objects, but most of those actions cannot really be manipulated. Curtains Down has a much more focused routine, but almost everything important around that routine connects to something else. The gun connects to the actor, the actor connects to the rehearsal, the rehearsal connects to Alvaro, and Alvaro’s death eventually affects Richard.
The result is that the level feels more complex than it actually is. There aren’t hundreds of systems running simultaneously, but the important ones interact with each other. The player learns how the theatre operates and then changes one part of that operation, which is exactly what I think Hitman is at its best when doing.
Curtains Down Gives the Same Gunshot Several Uses
The prop gun swap is the most famous assassination, but the level also allows Agent 47 to replace the actor and shoot Alvaro himself. This begins by waiting inside the co-star’s dressing room, dealing with him once he puts down the pistol, and then taking his costume. A bell eventually signals that the next rehearsal is beginning, allowing 47 to walk onto the stage alongside the other performers.
There are some nice details during this sequence that make the show feel like an actual performance. The cast initially stands together facing the audience, which appears to represent some kind of bow or acknowledgement before the rehearsal begins. Alvaro also reacts if the player bumps into him or stands in the wrong position, usually by dramatically shouting something in French before returning to his routine. I have no idea what he’s saying because I don’t speak French, but he manages to come across as arrogant and annoying regardless.
Actually shooting him is surprisingly difficult because the player has to time the real gunshot with the sound effect used during the performance. The effect happens slightly before the musical crescendo rather than directly at its peak, and the window only lasts for a moment. Firing too early or too late exposes Agent 47 because he is standing on a stage in front of an audience and Richard’s security team. The rehearsal happening more than once becomes useful here because the first run can teach the timing before you attempt it properly.
The same gunshot sound can also be exploited from elsewhere in the theatre. Agent 47 can reach an area behind the stage where scenery blocks him from the audience while still allowing a clear view of Alvaro, then fire during the execution sound. Alternatively, the player can bring a sniper rifle and reach an elevated lighting room, although this requires navigating through several floors, collecting a keycard and finding the correct vantage point. The assassination is still based around the same moment, but the player can interact with that moment from several different positions.
Curtains Down Builds Several Assassinations Around One Idea
This is one of the cleverest parts of Curtains Down because the level doesn’t need completely unrelated assassination methods to create variety. Instead, the developers built several approaches around the same event. You can replace the prop gun, replace the actor, shoot Alvaro from backstage or fire from an elevated position, with each method asking the player to solve a slightly different problem before reaching the same moment.
The gun swap focuses on manipulating an NPC routine. Becoming the actor focuses more heavily on disguises and timing. Shooting from behind the stage turns the assassination into a positioning challenge, while the sniper approach makes traversal and finding the correct vantage point more important. These methods all revolve around the rehearsal, but they feel different because the player’s involvement changes.
Alvaro can also be killed directly inside his dressing room, although this is where the level becomes slightly strange. The player can wait inside until he returns, then attack him while he is standing near the mirror. It can be difficult to sneak behind him because he stays roughly in the centre of the room, and leaving afterwards creates another problem because the guard outside can confront you and potentially discover the body.
Killing Alvaro here also breaks the performance. The other actors eventually return to the stage and stand around because the central character their routine depends on is gone. That weakens the illusion of a living theatre slightly, but it also demonstrates how much of Curtains Down is built around Alvaro’s rehearsal. The performance is effectively the central system of the level, and removing him outside of the intended sequence leaves the other characters with nothing to react to.
Richard Delahunt Reacts to the Assassination
Richard Delahunt begins the mission sitting inside a private theatre box watching Alvaro’s performance. He is protected by guards outside the door and additional security inside, making him difficult to approach directly. This creates an interesting reversal of A Vintage Year because Don Fernando is also protected inside a secure location, but that mission asks the player to infiltrate the location and reach him. Curtains Down instead gives the player a way to force Richard out.
Killing Alvaro causes Richard to panic and run towards the stage. The information from the attendant earlier about Richard being obsessed with Alvaro suddenly becomes relevant because his reaction is directly connected to something the player has caused. He doesn’t leave his box because an arbitrary trigger tells him to move somewhere vulnerable; he leaves because someone he is obsessed with has just been killed in front of him.
During this run, Richard trips beneath a chandelier before eventually reaching the stage and mourning Alvaro. The player can prepare the chandelier beforehand by attaching an explosive, then detonate it when Richard reaches the correct position. The kill counts as an accident and creates another chain of connected actions because Alvaro has to die before Richard will leave, Richard has to follow his route, and the player has to understand that route well enough to prepare the trap beforehand.
There is also a viewing platform above the theatre which allows you to watch the sequence unfold from above, although a guard patrols the area and can interfere with your rating. I like that the game gives you a position where you can actually watch the systems you manipulated play out because, by this point, most of the assassination can happen without Agent 47 needing to physically interact with either target.
Richard Is Still the Weaker Target
Richard’s reaction to Alvaro is one of the strongest parts of the mission, but his actual assassination options are much less developed. The chandelier is clearly the intended showcase kill because it makes use of the theatre, his panic route and the player’s preparation. Once he reaches the stage, he can also be shot from behind the scenery or from one of the elevated positions, with the surrounding chaos giving Agent 47 time to escape.
There are a few other methods that technically work, including using explosives around his private box, but these feel more like the player discovering ways to kill him than fully developed assassination opportunities. Curtains Down puts an enormous amount of effort into Alvaro because his execution can be manipulated from several different directions, while Richard mostly exists as the second part of that same sequence.
This is slightly disappointing because his setup is interesting. A heavily protected businessman sitting inside a private theatre box could support several different infiltration or manipulation ideas, but the level mainly wants you to trigger Alvaro’s death and then take advantage of Richard’s response. It works because his reaction connects him to the wider environment, although it does mean his own section of the mission has less depth.
A Vintage Year has a similar problem where one target gets more attention than the other, but Curtains Down handles it better because Richard still participates in the central routine. Alvaro’s death changes his behaviour and creates his vulnerability, meaning he remains connected to the system even if the player has fewer ways to assassinate him.
Why Hitman Blood Money Curtains Down Is So Memorable
Curtains Down works because the theatre feels like a collection of connected systems rather than a collection of rooms. The rehearsal happens without the player, the music tells you where the performance is within its cycle, actors move between their dressing rooms and the stage, guards react to restricted areas, crowds can block lines of sight, and Richard watches because of his connection to Alvaro.
The player can interfere with these systems at several different points. Swapping the gun changes the performance without changing the actor’s behaviour. Taking the actor’s place allows Agent 47 to become part of the routine himself. Shooting from elsewhere uses the performance as cover, while killing Alvaro causes Richard to abandon the security of his private box and move into a position where another prepared assassination can take place.
Even the confusing level design supports this because getting lost has consequences while the rehearsal continues in the background. The underground tunnels aren’t simply empty traversal between objectives. They consume time while another part of the map continues operating, and the soundtrack constantly reminds you that the opportunity you are trying to reach is getting closer.
This is what makes the mission feel alive. Agent 47 isn’t controlling every part of the theatre; he is learning how it already works and deciding where to interfere. The important systems keep moving whether the player is involved or not, which means a successful assassination feels like manipulating an existing situation rather than activating a scripted sequence.
Conclusion
So, is Hitman Blood Money Curtains Down a good Hitman level? I think it absolutely is. The mission creates a routine that continues independently of the player and then provides several ways to manipulate the same moment. The prop pistol can be replaced, Agent 47 can replace the actor, the gunshot can hide another weapon being fired, and Alvaro’s death can then be used to change Richard’s behaviour.
The theatre itself supports those assassinations through its level design. The underground corridors make navigation difficult, the music communicates information about what is happening elsewhere, crowds occasionally interfere with security, and restricted areas force the player to think about disguises and alternate routes. None of these systems is especially complicated on its own, but they interact enough to make the environment feel much more convincing.
Richard Delahunt is the weaker target because his own assassination options never reach the depth of Alvaro’s, but even he benefits from being connected to the main routine. His reaction gives the player’s first assassination consequences elsewhere in the level, which is something A Vintage Year rarely managed with its characters.
That connection is probably why Curtains Down is still remembered so fondly. A Vintage Year creates an interesting location filled with systems that often operate separately, while Curtains Down builds its mission around fewer important moving parts and then connects them together. Swapping the prop gun for a real one is an incredibly memorable assassination, but the reason it works so well is everything happening around it.
