St. Martin's Summer

In the vaulted chambers of a 17th‑century French castle, a rotund seneschal of Dauphiny drifts between indulgent slumber and royal duty. His purple doublet hangs open, his horn‑rimmed spectacles perched on a red, cherry‑like nose, while a nervous secretary scurries to keep the great man’s papers in order. The room hums with the crackle of a massive fireplace, the rustle of velvet curtains, and the sudden urgency of a mysterious black‑eyed woman demanding an audience, pulling the household into a reluctant wake‑up call.

The first act brings the sharp‑tempered Monsieur de Garnache into the picture, his volatile nature clashing with the careful choreography of court intrigue. As secret letters surface and a precarious trap is laid, loyalties are tested and a young dowager’s compliance becomes a bargaining chip. Listeners are drawn into a tapestry of ambition, conscience, and the quiet menace that lingers behind gilded doors, promising a summer of suspense that unfolds step by step.