Amadeus (2025) s01e01 Episode Script

1
This programme contains
very strong language
and scenes of a sexual nature.
Kapellmeister!
Kapellmeister! Sir!
Kapellmeister, please.
Oh, God!
Oh, no.
I didn't send for you.
Your footman found this
on your person.
It was meant
to be read posthumously.
And as the snow broke your fall,
and you didn't cut your throat
deeply enough to bleed to death,
I respected your wishes,
and I haven't opened it.
Read it.
I am an old woman, Antonio,
pulled from my bed
and made to walk through the cold.
But I'm here now.
So, why don't you just tell me
whatever it was
you wanted to tell me.
Face to face.
What is it?
It's a confession.
"Piano Concerto No.20
In D Minor" #
It sounded lovely up there, dear.
Well, thank you.
I'm composing something new.
Oh, a commission?
No, no.
A speculative work.
Thank you, Bruno.
Actually
..I'm going to show some
to the Emperor today.
I thought it might be fun
to have him play a little
and then surprise him
and tell him he's the first person
to perform my new opera.
How could he turn it down?
Court Composer.
Uh, F- F Sharp, Your Majesty.
Yes.
See, the problem with that note is
it's too difficult to arrive at
from the note that precedes it.
Who wrote this?
I did, Majesty, it's a
It's a new piece.
Did you not consider that
the F Sharp was almost
impossible to ascend to from here?
It seemed at the time as if it were
the correct direction to take.
Yes, well, perhaps
a reconsideration is in order.
Perhaps, Your Majesty, yes.
Right, that's
enough for today, I think.
Just take a look
at the F Sharp, will you?
Of course, your Majesty. I
You know, I have plans, Antonio.
Reforms.
Economic, cultural,
social, religious.
Reforms, the likes of which I do not
believe have been attempted before.
The thing with change, though, is
that people aren't very keen on it.
Even if it's in their best
interests, so
..I shall need every trick
at my disposal.
Do you know what opera is?
Yes.
Well, what do you think it is, sir?
Power.
Kings and queens,
friends and foes,
they will all come here.
They will see our palaces,
they will see our armies,
and they will see our operas.
Grander and finer than anything
that London, Prague,
or St Petersburg has to offer.
I cannot overstate
its importance to the Empire.
Of course, Your Majesty, and
it's an honour to serve the Crown.
Good. So, I would like you
to put on a remake.
A remake?
Mm.
Your, uh your opera, Tarare.
The French one.
I'd like a version for us.
But, uh not in French, though.
Do it in Italian.
Yes, uh
I did rather have my sights set
on newer compositions.
Well, save them.
A return to past successes
is what's needed in delicate times.
You're a godly man, hmm?
You believe that He speaks
through your music?
I believe He does, sir, yes.
Well, I need you
to be my voice too, Salieri.
You have room for us both?
Of course, sir.
You seem tired today.
I stayed up, reading.
Well, consider
not doing that anymore.
I have a new commission
from the Emperor.
It's an old opera of mine,
originally in French,
to be remounted in Italian
and staged here,
and I would very much like you
to take a role in it.
Oh, Court Composer,
I would be honoured.
What opera is it?
Tarare.
Tarare?
It was very popular.
I'm not sure I know it.
Well, anyway
We're doing it again.
I thought you were writing
something new.
Well put on hold.
Now, you go home
and try to get some rest.
Well, I will tonight,
but Friday is the Baroness' party.
Ugh, I'd forgotten all about that.
Did you hear
she has a secret performer?
Who?
Well, it's a secret, isn't it?
But I've heard it might be Mozart.
The travelling maestro,
wrote his first aria in the womb,
and all of that?
Are you not intrigued?
At least to meet him.
I've met my fair share of prodigies
in my time.
Can't say I remember
many of their names now, though.
Oh, yes, this could be him.
He's not gonna be ill-mannered,
is he?
What do you mean?
He's not gonna be raucous?
Do you think
he'll have a lot of things?
Where are we gonna put them all?
He's not putting them in my room.
He's not putting them in your room.
Do you think he'll be handsome?
Will you all shush?
Oh, hello.
Herr Mozart, welcome.
Welcome to our huh?
Firstly, I apologise
Secondly, good day.
So, it's two gulden
a month for the room,
and only the room.
One meal a day is included.
And I'll do a monthly wash,
but any extra's extra.
Understood.
Why did you throw up?
Sophie, don't be rude.
It's alright. I don't mind, Sophie.
You see, I had quite
a bit of wine last night,
and then a little more this morning.
I think it was that, combined with
the motion of the carriage, really.
Some letters
have already arrived for you.
Have you opened them?
Oh, from my father.
Let's have a look.
Shh
"Dear Wolfgang, I'm writing
to express my displeasure
"at you finding room and board
in a delinquent house
"of ill-reputed sluts."
I think he's just a bit upset
that I've left Salzburg.
I did explain to him that you're not
delinquents. Or sluts, obviously.
The girls' bedrooms are down there.
They all have locks on.
You're up this way.
Why did you
leave Salzburg?
Oh, my employer. I don't like to
speak ill of the man,
but I once met a stable boy
who'd been kicked in the head
by a donkey, and I think
he had more cognitive aptitude
than the Archbishop of Salzburg.
What a lovely house.
Have you been here a long time?
We moved here recently.
My husband passed away,
and then my beautiful Aloysia
got a role at the Imperial Opera,
so here we are.
That's marvellous news!
Not about your husband, obviously.
But the Imperial Opera,
that's marvellous.
I hope to have my, uh, own work
performed there one day.
Oh!
Do you have a commission?
No, just as in I assume it won't
take too long, now that I'm here.
Is this me?
Mm.
Vienna.
'Wolfgang, I write to you again,
imploring you to see sense.
'Vienna was not discussed.
'It is reckless in the extreme
'Salzburg was the
right position for you.
'Apologise to the Archbishop
'It is not your talent which causes
me worry but your manner
'The politics of Vienna have
destroyed shrewder men than you.
'Return to Salzburg.
Let me guide your career.
'Don't ruin what we have spent
so long trying to build.'
Herr Mozart?
Wolfgang?
Sorry?
I was asking about the tours
you went on when you were younger.
You travelled a lot, didn't you?
Yes, no, everywhere, um
England, France, Italy, Vatican.
Exhausting, really.
And your mother and father,
they accompanied you?
Yes. Well, until
mother died, of course.
Oh? What happened?
When my mother died?
Um, well, we were in Paris,
and she was unwell.
We meant to return together,
but, uh
..I returned alone.
Have you been to
the opera house yet?
Yes, of course.
We went last year
when we were visiting the city.
The girls' father wasn't very well,
but we still managed to see Armida.
Do you remember?Ah.
Salieri!Yes. Salieri.
I thought it was quite wonderful.
Mmm!
Oh, yes.
Oh, you didn't like it?
Mm it was fine.
It was fine!
Constanze thinks herself
quite the expert,
which is funny as she is the least
capable vocalist in the family.
Stanze just has a smaller spectrum
of ability, that's all.
She wanted to be a star soprano
when she grew up.
I'm four notes short,
and my range doesn't reach, so
These notes
..right at the top,
well, Stanze can't hit them.
God, she used to try and try
and fall about in floods of tears.
I wonder if you'd hit that note
if I kicked you in the cunt.
- Stanze!
- What?! She started it!
We have a guest!
She started it!
Hang on a minute. Two seconds.
What?
Ooh!
We're not supposed to be in here.
Treat room!
Don't touch them.
Actually, in my experience,
the things
you're not supposed to touch
are the very things
that you should touch first.
And taste?
Oh, that's nice, just a quick
Ah!
..fuck!
Oh!
Oh, a direct hit!
Shit, I have a performance to give.
Katerina Cavalieri.
My name, by the way,
I want you to remember it.
How could I not?
Toodle-loo!
Dear God!
'It was, on the surface,
a simple piece,
'but the more you listened,
the more the layers presented
themselves.
'The melody and the harmony
alternating seamlessly
'between right and left hands.
'Hands which glanced
over the Baroness' fortepiano
'as if guided by something
greater than himself.
'This repulsive creature
played so exquisitely.'
What do you think?
Fun, no?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Antonio Salieri.
Oh, the court composer?
Yes.
This is incredibly fortuitous.
The whole reason
why I came to Vienna
was to write
for the Imperial Opera.
Well, there's a process to all of-
Meringue?
I wouldn't, they're a bit tart.
You must at least be able to get me
one meeting with the Emperor?
He's a very busy man.
What could be more important
than this?
Than meeting you?
Well, I believe
he's currently drawing up plans
to ensure our nation's claim
on the kingdom of Bavaria.
I suppose that might be
taking up some of his time.
Ple-e-ease? Just one meeting.
I'd be forever in your debt,
obviously.
Well, there is
an opportunity coming up.
It's a duel at the palace
against Clementi.
The Emperor will be judging
the winner.Yes!
But it's in less than a week.
There's no time to prepare.
That's loads of time to prepare.
Mozart, to perform badly
would do you more harm
than not performing at all.
I don't.
You don't what?
Perform badly.
Then I shall make arrangements.
Yes! Thank you so much.
Thank you, Herr Salieri.
Of course.
A pleasure to meet you.
You've just made
an excellent evening even better.
Bruno!
Yes, sir?
Ah.
Bruno, I'll forgo dinner tonight.
I mean to compose.
Excellent, sir.
Actually, leave me a small cut of
beef and some vegetables
on a tray outside the door.
Yes, sir.
Oh, and potatoes
are in season, aren't they?
They are, sir.
I'll have some of those, too.
And a glass of wine.
There's a Brunello
that will pair excellently.
But it's young, so open it now.
It will need time to breathe.
Of course, sir.
And no disturbances of any kind.
I believe inspiration
will not be in short supply.
And say good night to my wife.
I don't think
I'll see her this evening.
Right, sir.
Wolfgang.
Constanze.
Is everything all right?
It's three o'clock in the morning.
Is it?!
Yes, it is.
And most people are asleep.
In the quiet.
Ah
Hmm.
Did you just write this?
Can I?
Please.
It's quite good.
Thank you.
Quite good?
Is it true, what your sisters said
about you the other night?
My range? Mm-hmm.
Yes. I used to dream about it,
being a singer.
A coloratura soprano.
I wanted to be a star, I suppose.
I agreed with you about Armida,
by the way.
All those boring trails.
Only a fool would like
something like that.
I hope you're not calling
my sister a fool.
Oh, I wouldn't dream of it.
I felt really sorry,
hearing about your childhood.
Having to travel around like that.
I was a very happy child.
Were you?
I don't know.
Were you?
No.
Well, I
It wasn't happy or sad.
It was just
..um, unremarkable.
Unremarkable?
Mm-hmm.
They're only four notes, Constanze.
But I can't reach them.
OK, well
I'm gonna go back to bed now.
Yes, I'll stop playing.
No, don't.
What?!
Oh, good evening.
Did you just fall down the stairs?
Nope.
Why do you ask?
What time's the duel?
I think it's in about an hour.
Right
Should you be
completely smashed for that?
I'm not completely smashed for that.
I just had a couple of sharpeners
with lunch. Honestly
Fall down one flight of stairs,
suddenly everyone's accusing you
of being completely smashed.
Excuse me!Tonight's too
important for you to mess it up!
Sit down.
UmSit down!
I'm making you a coffee.
Coffee? Yes, good idea.
Coffee with a little splash of
cognac if you don't mind.
Juggle.
This is excellent, truly.
I don't actually know how to juggle.
What's excellent?
Your adding self-sabotage
to your other character flaws.
I don't have character flaws.
You have almost nothing
but character flaws.
Vienna isn't Paris.
It isn't London, it isn't
..Prague.
Anywhere else that it isn't?
Wolfgang!
I want you to succeed here.
Because if you don't,
then you can't pay rent.
I will have to sell my things,
prostitute my sisters,
and I really love my things.
Tonight isn't a parlour game.
It's an audition.
You need these people.
Wolfgang!
Oooooh-hoo-hoo!
Ooh, very fancy, very fancy.
Wow!
Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.
Have you ever met
the Emperor before?
No, Wolfgang, no.
I've not met the Emperor before.
Most people don't.
I wish I'd worn a different dress.
Why? I think you look very comely.
What do you mean by "comely"?
Nothing, I just think you look nice.
I thought you'd like me saying that.
You're not helping, Wolfgang.
Herr Mozart!
Hello!
Mozart! Come!
Your Majesty.
Oh! Don't need to worry about that.
Sorry. Yes.I've heard many
stories about your talents,
I can't tell you how keen I am
to hear them for myself.
Yes.
And this is?
Your Constanze, Majesty.
I mean Constanze, Your Majesty.
Very good.
Well, shall we begin?
Right, then. Clementi.
Ooh!
Very good!
Thank you. Actually, may I have
a go at that one first?
I quite like that one.
By all means.
Do you need the music?
No, thank you.
Oh! Very good! Very jolly!
Bravo!
Ah!
Oh, yuck. Who wrote this?
Can I change it?
Feel free.
Oh, bravo!
That's a wonderful tune!
Oh, very good, Mozart.
The F sharp is difficult,
isn't it? Ha!
Clementi, your response!
Mozart!
Clementi!
Ha!
Come on, Clementi.
Ah! Bravo!
A duel like no other.
I've never seen anything like it.
Bravo, indeed.
Well done, young man.
Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen,
a round of applause for Mr Mozart!
What an extraordinary young man.
Extraordinary.
Absolutely shitting outrageous.
Mozart! Mozart!
Mozart!
Oh, well, that was memorable.
I've never been fucked
in a palace before.
Excuse me?
A tie, after that?!
Would it help if I'd played upside
down? I can do that, you know.
God willing, I won't die
without witnessing it.
You owe me 50 ducats. That prize
should've been mine in its entirety.
Wolfgang! He doesn't mean it, sir.
He just gets passionate.
The prize wasn't the money, Mozart.
It was the Emperor's favour.
And believe you me,
you didn't share in that.
He wants to commission
an opera from you.
What?
Oh, my God.
There were some in the court
who thought you might be
a little too green,
but I I convinced them
you should be given a go.
I don't know what to say.
Well, let us all revel
in your temporary silence.
Be here Monday afternoon,
1pm sharp.
We'll discuss plans.
Thank you so much, Court Composer.
Oh, of course, of course.
Thank you.
Oh, Wolfgang, a commission!
Of course.
Shhhhhh!
Shh!
To the Emperor!
To the Emperor.
To you.
To us
Is this what you do?
What?
Kiss any girl who's nice to you?
Would you prefer
for me to not kiss you?
I think it would be improper.
Mmm
That's not what I asked, though.
Oh, I know
that's not what you asked, though.
If you don't tell me
not to kiss you,
then I'm going to kiss you.
I'm not gonna tell you
not to kiss me.
Oh, my goodness,
I cannot listen to any more!
Mother!
Constanze.
Hello.Wolfgang.
Have you been listening
the whole time?
One rule I have, Wolfgang:
I will not allow wickedness
under this roof.
I will not have
my girls' reputations damaged.
If you break this rule, I will throw
you out of this house myself
and chop up your instruments
for firewood.
Do you understand?
Yes, Frau Weber. Yes.
So it is late
and it would do us all well
to go to our separate rooms.
Yes, Mother.
Absolutely, yes.
Good night, Wolfgang.
Another letter for you.
From your father.
You know, you really should write
back to him. Or I will.
You should have seen the
look on Clementi's face,
- it was like he'd seen a ghost!
- Yes!
Sweat pouring off him.
Ah, here he is! The very boy.
Good afternoon,
Your Majesty.
Ah, Mozart! Do come in.
So, Herr Mozart,
congratulations on your commission.
We're all very intrigued
to see what you can do.
Now, I'd like to start
by talking about possible themes
Oh, I already have an idea.
Oh, really?
Yes.
Very excited about it, actually.
But first of all, just to say,
this will be an opera in German.
German?!
Yes.
Not Italian?
I just thought it would be nice
if the audience could understand
what was being sung for once.
I haven't always found that to
improve the experience, but alright.
What's your idea?
Ah, yes.
I've written the first act already.
But in terms of the story, uh,
well, here's the thing.
It's quite daring,
both in its composition
and in its setting.
Setting?
Yes, it takes place in a harem.
A fucking what?!
Oh, pardon, Your Majesty. Scuse.
It's set where?!
A harem,
a whorehouse, a seraglio.
And you consider this appropriate?
Yes.
I mean, it's funny, it's different.
I can assure you, there won't be
any inappropriateness,
and, uh
..of course,
it will contain many fine
..German virtues.
And what are those, exactly?
Being Italian, I'm not sure.
Yes, come on, Mozart.
Name us a proper German virtue.
Uh
Well, love, sire, I suppose.
What? This feels like a risk.
I'll say.
Well
..we already have Antonio
redoing his Tarare.
I think we can probably
afford to be a bit
..exciting with this one.
Give it a a short run.
Low costs.
There doesn't seem
to be too much risk there.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Thank you!
Thank YOU, Mozart.
Oh, thank you so much.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Dear Lord,
please speak through me.
Please use me
as you have used me before.
Let me be your vessel.
Let me be your voice.
Speak.
Speak.
Well, one part excels at least.
Bravo! Bravo!
That'll do for today.
Thank you.
Thank you, Court Composer.
Thank you.
Bravo, Court Composer.
Sounding magnificent.
Don't. Don't pretend
it's something it's not.
I know you know.
Of anyone in this city,
you know.
I mean, it doesn't
disgrace you, at least.
I have done
better work than this.
Armida, now there was an opera.
There was an opera.
Yes, indeed.
I'm trying to compose something new,
but it's not coming to me.
I've had dry spells before.
The voice leaves me for periods,
but it always comes back.
But you can't help fear
..what if.
What if?
What if.
What if it doesn't come back?
Wait there a moment.
Oh, no.
Here we are.Oh, no.
As a thank-you. Bit strong.
It used to be
that I could find His voice
as easily as I found my own.
His?
God's.
Oh, yes. Him.
You don't believe
what we do is divine?
This this is a gift.
It's given to us, no?
Music is the closest man gets
to conversing with God.
And if this is
a conversation with God,
are not composers
the ones speaking in His voice?
Let's have a look.
Mm
I mean
..a few lines and dots
It's just instructions, isn't it?
Mathematical instructions.
I mean, are these methods
to capture the voices of angels
or merely a command
to an oboe player?
I believe it's more than that.
I believe it must be a holy gift.
Holy gift?
I mean, say it is God
..who gives us this
..fucking hell, I wish
he'd leave me alone sometimes.
It's constant, the bombardment.
The arrangements, the variations.
What's he trying to say with it all?
It'll be full in a week.
The watchers
..come to accept our offerings.
I keep having this dream.
I'm, um, walking through my house,
and I hear a noise,
and I look out, and I see that
there's an audience watching me.
And they watch as I
..sleep and eat and drink and
..perform all the human acts
a man might perform.
And they applaud at the end.
At the end, they applaud.
But they never stand.
And it kills me.
They like it well enough.
My little performance.
I know that when
they leave the theatre
and they return to their homes,
the memory of me will fade.
I used to write all night long.
Pages upon pages of music,
just flowing.
Not anymore.
Oof, my goodness.
Sorry.
Sounds like you're a little bit
blocked, Herr Salieri.
Maybe you need to try
to flush the pipes out somehow.
How do you mean?
I noticed you paying Frau Cavalieri
a bit of extra attention just now.
So?
Maybe you need to try a different
kind of night music, Court Composer.
See if that helps.
Night music.
Hello.
Hello.
Just checking you were alright.
Not drinking yourself
into a stupor or anything.
No, I am alright, thank you.
Oh, yes, another one.
Your father?
Will he be there tonight?
No.
Well, fuck him, then.
Bye.
Bravo! Bravo!
Do sit down. Sit down, sit down.
Bravo, bravo! Well done.
Excellent performance.
Ah, my dear, you were radiant.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Bravo!
Bravo!
That was
Well, that was
It was very interesting.
And new, it felt very new.
Thank you, Majesty.
Although, of course,
perhaps not without its faults,
though, uh I'm sure
that's only to be expected.
Faults, Your Majesty?
Well, yes, um
Yes, it just felt at times
that there were
Well, perhaps
there were just
..uh, too many notes.
Too many notes?
Yes, too many notes.
There are only so many notes that
an audience can listen to
of an evening,
before one cannot take any more.
It did feel at times as though
one was being slightly bombarded.
With notes.
With notes, yes.
You agree, Court Composer?
Uh Yes, Your Majesty.
You're not wrong.
A piece can become too busy.
It's a mistake
a young composer can easily make.
Well, it was
a very fine opera all the same.
Just perhaps
remove some of the notes,
and it'll be perfect.
Yes.
Which notes, uh,
did you have in mind, Emperor?
One more round of applause
for our young composer and his
..his fine performers.
Herr Salieri!
How could you do that?
What?
Why didn't you stand up
for the music?
It's politics, Mozart. You can't
disagree with the Emperor.
I didn't ask
why you didn't stand up for me.
I asked why you didn't stand up
for the music.
It was perfect.
How could you stand there
as a composer
and just agree with him?
He liked the piece.
I'm sure there'll be another.
Take the victory.
You know, just because you're stuck
rehashing boring old operas,
doesn't mean I have to be.
Maybe God doesn't speak to you
because you fucking bore him!
"Too many notes!"
Ridiculous criticism.
The Emperor couldn't hear it.
Most people couldn't hear it.
But I could.
I could hear even then
what he was.
And what he would become.
It wasn't then, though,
it was later,
a month or so later,
at a performance
in the palace gardens.
Excuse me. Sorry.
Sorry, I'm late.
- Excuse me.
- Thank you, sir.
Excuse me. Sorry.
'He managed to get in
one final insult,
delivered as only he could.
Ladies and gentlemen,
we would like to begin
with a new composition.
It's a modest piece,
but I wrote it
in the small hours of the night,
as if a voice was speaking to me
..and only to me.
If you look under your chairs,
the details are on the back
of your programmes.
'Perhaps it was
in that moment I knew
what I was going to do.
The moment you knew
you were going to do what?
I was gonna kill
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Yes.
# "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" #