The One-Act Opera Festival
Susanna's Secret

by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari

Director -
Maija Lisa Currie

Collaborative Pianist -
Audrey Saint-Gil


Cast

Countess Susanna (soprano) -
LaToya Lewis

Count Gil (baritone) -
Daniel Quintana

Sante (mute) -
Kevin Kees
Synopsis

One Act Opera

What can drive a man mad? Jealousy!

Count Gil returns home suspecting that he has seen his wife, Susanna, walking
alone in the street, something he had forbidden her to do after their wedding.
He is relieved when he discovers that she is playing the piano in the living room.
However, it was the countess whom he had seen but she returned home
shortly before her husband.

Gil's happiness remains for only a short while. The room smells of tobacco, and
he is surprised since he does not smoke and neither does Susanna, nor the
servant, Sante. Suddenly a horrible thought strikes him: is it possible that
Susanna is unfaithful to him with a smoker? He speaks with his wife and is soon
ashamed of having such suspicions. Gil wants to hug Susanna, but he notices
that the tobacco smell comes from Susanna's clothes. She finally admits to
having a secret, but she absolutely does not want to tell him what it is. Gil gets
really angry and starts to turn the house upside-down after she locks herself in
her bedroom. Finally, as Gil is leaving the house to go to his club, she brings him
his umbrella. He softens, they become reconciled, and he exits.

As soon as he leaves the house, she closes the door and opens the small
packet she gave to Sante when she came home. She takes out a cigarette
and the two smoke. That is her secret! But while she is smoking with Sante, Gil
comes back. Smelling the tobacco he starts to search the house for Susanna's
lover on the pretext of looking for the umbrella he forgot. Having no success,
Gil furiously goes out again and Susanna lights a second cigarette. Once more
Gil enters and, this time, he is sure that he will catch her in the act. Trying to
seize her hand, he gets burned thus finally unveiling her secret. They forgive
each other and swear eternal love while smoking together.
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