Aria from Murder

Originally Aired: January 25, 1951 Suspense #413, "Aria from Murder," opens with renowned opera baritone Niccolò Mazzini calling police headquarters from his dressing room at the Grandier Opera House between acts of Don Giovanni. He confesses to Lieutenant Morgan that he has committed murder, then proceeds to explain the events that led to his crime. Mazzini reveals his fatal weakness: his affair with a woman named Leola Dantes, a secret known only to Felix Levine, the company's general manager. Two weeks earlier, Felix confronted Niccolò on the deserted opera house stage, presenting mountains of unpaid bills and announcing his intention to break Niccolò's contract. Believing Felix is motivated by hidden feelings for his wife Irene, the hot-tempered singer loses control and kills the manager with a stage light. But Niccolò's confession takes a chilling turn when he reveals that someone witnessed the murder—a mysterious red-haired man in a brown jacket who was sitting in the darkened auditorium. The terrified witness fled before Niccolò could catch him, leaving the opera singer to wonder who saw his crime and whether they will come forward before he finishes his final performance.