Maria realizes the current Mother Superior (a chilling performance by French actress Laura Valérie) is the daughter of that same aristocrat. The Mother Superior has been continuing the tradition, drugging younger nuns with ergot-laced communion wine to induce hallucinations and compliance.
The secret that Sister Elisabetta entrusted to Mario was both profound and dangerous. She had visions of a universal symphony, a divine composition that underlay all of existence. According to her, this symphony was not just a metaphor but a real, audible piece of music that could be heard by those pure of heart and keen of ear. It was a melody of perfect harmony, capable of healing the deepest wounds and reconciling the most profound discord. mario salieri secret of a nun