Swan Song by Agatha Christie. Short summary

5 seconds

A famous opera singer performs at Lord Rastonbury’s house. The opera «Tosca» will be performed on stage. But the audience is unaware that the main character is planning a real crime.

1 minute

The famous opera singer Paula Nazorkova arrives on tour in London. Madame Nazorkova is asked to perform at the country villa of Lord and Lady Rastonbury. The singer agrees, but on the condition that the opera «Tosca» be performed on stage.

Preparations for the performance are in full swing at Lord Rastonbury’s house and the performers for all the parts have already been found. But the actor who is to sing the part of Scarpia suddenly falls ill. They urgently find another singer to take his place — the retired Frenchman Édouard Bréon.

The opera goes well and the audience applauds. The second act comes to a close when the character of Paula stabs Scarpia. The curtain falls, but then it turns out that Nazorkova was so carried away that she actually stabbed Breon. But in fact, Paula was not mistaken, but committed a long-planned revenge — she killed the man who many years ago sent her lover to his death. The singer was arrested. Walking under escort, Paula utters a quote from the play, «The show’s over!»