Auto Light and its 96,000 dealers present Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light brings you a tale of jealousy and hate on the stage of a deserted opera house,
Aria from Murder, starring Mr. Ezio Pinza, who is appearing tonight by arrangement with
MGM producers of the Technicolor picture Kim, starring Errol Flynn, Dean Stockwell, Paul
Lucas and Robert Douglas.
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And now with Aria from Murder and the performance of Mr. H.C.
Opinza, Auto Light hopes once again to keep you in suspense.
Me, me, me, me, me.
Ah, Niccolo, tonight you are singing as you have never sung before.
How wildly the patrons applaud.
I wonder if they would applaud so tremendously if they knew the thing that you suffer in your
heart.
I will call now.
There is time.
In a mission, Mr. Marzini.
You've got about 15 minutes.
Thank you.
Police headquarters.
I wish to speak with the policeman in charge of the homicide department, please.
Yes, tomorrow.
Homicide Lieutenant Morgan.
This is Niccolo Marzini, Lieutenant Morgan.
Yes.
I am the base baritone with the Grandia Opera Company.
Oh.
Well, what can I do for you, Mr. Marzini?
I should like to make a confession at this time.
A confession?
Yes.
I would like to confess to murder.
Where are you now, Mr. Marzini?
I am calling from my dressing room here at the Grandia Opera House.
In just a very few moments, I will step out on the stage and finish my performance in
Mozart's opera Don Giovanni.
It is my last performance.
I shall try to explain.
About the confession you wanted to make, Mr. Marzini.
My explanation, Lieutenant, becomes the confession.
Your law books tell you that murder begins with reason.
This murder that I had committed did not begin with a reason.
It began with a weakness.
A weakness.
My weakness was a woman.
Not the woman I married, but rather the woman I loved, Leola Dantes.
I was successful in hiding my association with Leola from the people around me, except
in the eyes of one man, Felix Levine, the general manager of the company.
Two weeks ago, after a performance of the Marriage of Figaro, Felix said that he wanted
to see me.
I finished dressing and started across the stage on my way to his office.
The opera house was deserted.
And I was quite surprised to find him standing there on that barren stage under that single
work light staring out into the darkened auditorium.
Oh, I would like to talk to you, Nicolo, if you have a few minutes.
Of course, Felix.
There is something very important we must discuss.
Then by all means, let's discuss it.
May I be very frank with you?
I would have it no other way.
Good.
I am happy you feel that way.
First, I have known for some time about you and Leola Dantes.
So, you know about Leola Dantes.
And who else besides you, Felix knows?
I have tried as best I could to keep it from the others.
And my wife?
Have you told my wife?
No, no, Nicolo.
I did not have the heart.
I have wanted to spare Irene's feelings.
You?
You wanted to spare her feelings?
This touches me deeply.
Felix.
I do not know what you mean.
This concern of yours, it really is not so much for me as it is for Irene.
Oh, do not be ridiculous, Nicolo.
You want to spare her feelings.
Do not read meaning where there is no meaning, Nicolo.
I think that you have been waiting for something like this for a long time.
Tell me, Felix, are you masking your love for Irene with pity?
Your reason has gone.
What else can I believe?
What other possible reason can there be for this threat?
Do you know what these are, Nicolo?
Papers?
Pieces of paper?
They are bills, hundreds of them.
Look at them, Nicolo, bills.
Bills that you have run up.
Almost $5,000 worth of flowers, champagne, gifts.
What are you doing with these?
They were sent here to the company as attachments on your guarantee for the present season.
So?
So, it turns out, Nicolo, that there is not any more guarantee.
You have already been advanced way over your guarantee.
At the moment, you owe the company almost an entire season.
Oh, I don't believe you.
It's impossible.
It's not impossible, Nicolo.
But Felix, this question of the money can so easily be solved.
These creditors know me.
They know that next season I will take care of...
Nicolo, Nicolo, there won't be any next season for you.
I don't understand.
I have a contract.
I am going to break it.
You waited for this moment for a long time.
Haven't you?
You're being very stupid now, Nicolo.
I am being much more realistic about this than you can possibly imagine.
Are you really?
My reason hasn't gone.
It's just that you have made a stupid mistake.
I have a mistake?
I am not a violent man.
I dislike violence very much.
But you really haven't given me any alternative.
You have only given me one choice to make.
What do you mean?
The opera house is so quiet at night when no one is here.
Listen, Felix, not a sound.
Nicolo, what is wrong with you?
Look at the enormous shadows we throw upon the stage from this work light.
Are you trying to frighten me?
You won't, you know.
No, I am not trying to scare you, Felix.
That would do no good at all.
Well, then what are you talking about?
The money problem was your business.
But my association with Leola Dantes was no concern of yours, Felix, not whatsoever.
Nicolo!
I grabbed his shirt and twisted the collar until his grew red.
And then I yanked at the work light, lifted his eye, and with all my strength brought
it crashing down on his head.
I released my hand from his collar.
He swayed for a moment and then fell awkwardly down upon the stage.
I reached over and picked up the beers lying on the table.
Then I heard it, a sound from out in the auditorium, a sound of something or someone.
It was too dark to see anything.
I rushed over to the electrician's case through the house light switch and rushed back on
the stage.
There, sitting in the sixth or seventh row, staring at me in complete bewilderment, was
a beady-eyed man wearing a brown jacket with a head of flaming radar.
You!
You out there!
Who are you?
What are you doing out there?
Don't sit there looking at me.
Say something!
Oh, so you are scared, is that it?
Did you see everything?
No, no, don't move!
Wait, wait, I want to talk to you.
Come back, Navo.
I won't hurt you, I promise.
Are you afraid of me?
Why don't you answer me?
You are afraid of me, aren't you?
Come back here.
You, come back!
I want to talk to you.
Come back!
No, no.
He was gone.
I stood there and could feel the perspiration roll down off my face as I realized that a
red-headed man had just witnessed the murder that I had committed.
Auto Light is bringing you Mr. H.C.O.P.N.Z.A. in Aria from Murder, tonight's production
in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
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And now auto light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage, Mr. Ezio Pinza, in Elliot Lewis's
production of Aria from Murder, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
I stood in the alley next to the opera house for a long time.
My mind was confused and I felt numb with pain.
Not an abnormal reaction for a man who has just committed a murder, I believe.
This witness on flaming red hair that that moment might have been on his way to the police.
Oh, I was desperate.
And the desperate man seeks refuge.
My weakness was my refuge.
And I went to my weakness.
Nicky, darling.
Leola, Leola.
Sit down, darling.
I'll fix you a drink.
I need it.
Recognize the record, darling?
Yes.
One of your best, I thought.
It seems so long ago.
Is there something wrong, Nicky?
Wrong, Leola.
Oh, why, no, no, there is nothing wrong.
Here, here's your drink.
Thank you.
I know there's something wrong.
Why?
What gives you that idea?
Because you've forgotten.
And it's not likely for you to forget, Nicky.
Forgotten?
You've forgotten to bring me something.
And you never forget unless there's something wrong.
Oh, Leola, I am sorry.
Nicky, please, I know something is wrong.
Now tell me what it is.
Something to do with your wife?
Has she found out?
No, nothing, nothing.
Well, then tell me, please.
Leola.
What is it, Nicky?
Tell me, please.
Leola, Leola, tell me.
You love me, tell me.
Nicky, you know I do.
Oh, darling.
Nicky, no, wait, now, wait, please.
First tell me what it is.
Tonight, just after the performance, Felix Levine sent word that he wanted to see me
on stage.
Go on, Nicky.
He knew all about us.
Oh, it had to come out sooner or later, didn't it, Nicky?
He threatened to go to Irene, my wife.
He threatened to tell her everything.
And then he threatened to go to the newspaper.
Oh?
Do you see what that would have meant?
I'm afraid I don't quite follow you.
Oh, don't you understand, Leola?
What it would involve, the scandal, the effect it would have on my reputation.
I see.
He offered to bargain with me.
Bargain?
Yes.
If I would stop seeing you, he would remain silent.
He became very adamant in his demand.
And when I refused, he became violent.
I too became violent.
And in her age, I hit him with the stagework light.
He...
What are you trying to say?
Oh, Leola, I killed him.
Nicky.
But then, Leola, while I was standing over his body, I heard a noise from out in the
auditorium.
Someone out there in the auditorium had seen the entire thing.
What?
I rushed to turn the house lights on.
A man wearing a brown coat with beady eyes and flaming red hair was sitting there looking
at me.
Who was he?
Oh, I don't know.
I had never seen him before in my life.
Are you sure he saw everything?
Oh, there is no doubt of it.
Well, I really don't know what to say.
I...
I suspected that something like this would happen.
Oh, what are you talking about?
Well, am I supposed to condone what you did, Nicky?
Oh, I need your help, Leola.
My help?
How can I help you, Nicky?
Oh, Leola, darling, please.
This isn't something I asked you to do.
It's best it happened this way, because you'd have to wake up sometime.
It's a hard, cruel world, Mr. Opera Singer.
Am I supposed to comfort this thing?
Am I supposed to become involved in this whole rotten mess all because you made a mistake?
Well, don't you understand that what I did, I did for us to keep us together?
Take your last bow, Nicky.
The curtain's about to ring down, just like it falls on one of those operas you're singing.
Oh, don't you realize that if Felix had gone through with what he threatened to, it would
have meant losing you?
It's funny to see you standing there, so strong and yet so weak, so much like a little boy,
and yet so very much an old man.
Did you ever actually believe that I was capable of loving you?
Leola, I won't believe this.
I won't believe it.
Put the key to the apartment on the table as you leave, Nicky.
I left Leola's apartment in a tease, and I went home just as a condemned man goes to
the gallows and waited for the police.
But the police never came.
At least, they didn't come the first day after the murder.
The second day, I did receive a call from the police.
It was a routine check.
They told me they wanted to know if I knew anything about the crime or if I suspected
anyone.
My answers were vague.
I was safe, safe from the police.
Finally, not being able to contain myself any longer, I decided to call Leola just before
my Saturday matinee of Paris Gaudounauf.
That's the overture, Mr. Mazzini.
Yes, thank you.
Hello?
Niccolo Leola.
Oh, it's you.
It looks like the police made his misdemeanor.
What happened to the man in the brown coat and the flaming red hair, Nicky?
I don't know.
Are you sure there was such a man, Nicky?
Oh, I swear there was such a person, Leola.
I swear to you.
Then you've been very fortunate, Nicky.
But why does he wait?
Why doesn't he come?
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Can I come to see you?
Not yet, Nicky.
At least not until his whole thing is over completely.
Leola, please.
Let's say at least until we're sure that this man in the brown coat and red hair doesn't
put in an appearance.
Let's wait, Nicky.
Shall we?
Yes, Leola.
We'll wait.
You know, maybe I could have just said this...
Let's wait, Nicky.
Let's wait.
Let's wait.
Let's wait.
Let's wait, Nicky.
Let's wait.
And so I waited, waited for I didn't know what.
Possibly I was waiting for a knock at the door or the ring of the phone, expecting at
any moment it would be the police.
At the end of the second week I found myself beginning to regain my composure.
But yet, beneath that composure I still waited.
On Friday night I was to sing as Camillo.
While putting on my make-up in my dressing room I received a phone call.
Hello.
Hello, Nick.
Who is this, please?
I am busy.
I was just telling my friends my brown coat needs to be clean and pressed and I need a
haircut.
What are you talking about?
Barbers tell me that men with red hair are the best conversationalists.
You?
Yeah, me.
Who are you?
Who are you?
If you'd run a little faster you might have caught me.
Tell me what would you have done to me if you had caught me, Nick?
The same thing you did to Felix Levine.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Let's not be corny, Nick.
Why didn't you go to the police?
Why didn't you?
You sing well, Nick.
You're a great singer.
I admire you.
I sing too.
Do you know that?
I sing very well.
Listen to me.
Haven't you heard of the
time right now, Nick?
I think I'll call you in a day or so and let you know just how well I want you to sing.
But listen to me.
It's going to be an expensive song.
Just remember that.
A real expensive song.
Wait.
Wait.
Please, please.
The man in the brown coat and flaming red hair had finally come out from his hiding place.
And now I knew the reason why he had remained silent.
He was going to blackmail me.
He had seen everything.
There was no escape for me now.
I was helpless.
How was I going to pay any demands he might make?
As for the other creditors, I could easily have taken care of them.
But this new creditor, his was a demand that could not be taken care of.
Yes, this man in the brown jacket with flaming red hair had my life in his hands.
And he knew it.
That evening my performance in Carmen was a mockery.
I sang as Camillo as if in a trance.
I think that even the cast around me suspected something was wrong.
Saturday I waited for his phone call, but it didn't come.
Then in the afternoon I received a call to report to the opera house wardrobe room for
a custom fitting.
I went down.
I walked down on the long side alley entrance to the opera house.
I opened the door and stepped in.
Hello, Mr. Marzini.
The doorman greeted me and I nodded to him.
And as I lifted my head, there sitting next to the doorman, his back to me, was the man
in the brown coat and flaming red hair.
I walked rapidly across the stage.
I made my way back to a darkened corner from where I could watch the two of them.
What was he doing here?
Had he purposely exposed himself to me?
It must have been half an hour and the doorman received the phone call and left.
Now the man with red hair was sitting at the stage door alone.
His back to me.
I fell behind me and my hand close upon a wooden stage brace.
Then I made my way carefully against the back brick wall of the opera house.
I was only a few feet from him now.
I looked around.
There was no one inside.
And then I was upon him.
I brought the stage brace crashing down in his head.
He did not cry out.
And I caught him before he fell off the chair.
I held him in my arms waiting.
No sounds.
No one at earth.
Good.
I lifted him upon my shoulders and in darkness made my way back to my dressing room.
I kicked the door closed behind me.
Emptied my traveling trunk and deposited the body in it.
In the morning I could have the trunk delivered to my home and dispose of its contents.
I left the opera house.
A great weight had suddenly been lifted from my shoulders.
As I arrived at the opera house tonight, I knew that I was to give a performance of opera
that the patrons would never forget.
A few minutes before I was to go on stage, I was putting the finishing touches on my
makeup.
Hello.
Hello, Nick.
How are you?
Have you thought over what I said, Nick?
Have you thought about singing for me?
But you, you're dead.
You've got to convince me, Nick.
I feel very much alive.
I'm not dead.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I'm alive.
I feel like singing.
This is a joke.
Tomorrow, Nick.
I want you to sing for me tomorrow.
Sing for, say, about $25,000.
That should keep me from singing.
I don't want to.
I'll phone you tomorrow, Nick.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
I placed the phone back to where it was.
I placed the phone back on the hook and walked over the trunk.
I lifted the lid.
The man who lay in that trunk was the man who had seen me kill Felix Levine.
No.
I had not made a mistake, Lieutenant.
I am sure you can guess the obvious.
Riola D'Atis?
Yes.
She was the only other person besides the man with the red hair
who knew about Felix Levine.
This other guy who called you?
It must have been somebody she hired.
The woman for whom I had killed twice had betrayed me.
We call it blackmail, Mr. Mazzini.
Oh, it matters so little now.
Well, we'll pick him up and then we'll be down for you.
I shall be ready.
You're on, Mr. Mazzini.
Coming.
With your permission, Lieutenant Morgan,
I go to give my finish.
My final performance.
Sing well, Mr. Mazzini.
What a voice.
Far and few between.
Where's Riz?
I don't know where he is.
Saw him around this afternoon and he just disappeared.
He wanted to hear Mazzini, didn't he?
Are you kidding?
Mazzini's his whole life.
I don't think there's anything in the world he wouldn't do for Mazzini.
Well, that's because he wanted to be a singer himself.
Probably.
A singer?
That crazy redhead, a singer?
How could a guy who was born a mute be a singer?
Suspense, presented by Auto Light.
Tonight's star, Mr. Ezio Pinza.
Well, Harlow, if you're through horsing around, I'll go now.
Nay, nay, hap.
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Light.
Next week on Suspense, Mr. Paul Douglas in Fragile Contents Death.
And in weeks to come, you will hear Fred McMurray to be followed by the First Lady of Suspense,
Miss Agnes Moorhead.
And then on February 22nd, in answer to your many requests, Backseat Driver, repeated for
you with its original stars, Fibber McGee and Molly.
All on Suspense.
Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis with music composed by Lucien Moraweck
and conducted by Ludd Bluskin.
Portions of this program were transcribed.
Aria for Murder was written for Suspense by Richard George Pedicini.
Included in tonight's cast were Joseph Kearns, Kathy Lewis, and Wally Mayer.
And remember next week on Suspense, Mr. Paul Douglas, as a postmaster who knows there are
explosives in the mail and has only five hours to find them.
The story we call Fragile Contents Death.
You can buy Auto Light staple batteries, Auto Light standard type or resistor type spark
plugs, Auto Light electrical parts at your neighborhood Auto Light dealers.
Switch to Auto Light.
Good night.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.