Amadeus (2025) s01e03 Episode Script
Episode 3
1
The following programme
contains strong language
and scenes of a sexual nature
From the outset.
It's the Salieris!
Your bride is on the table.
We all know how beholden
you are to this Emperor!
A new job has become available.
I was wondering if you might
bring me his manuscripts,
make his case for the Emperor.
But you are a woman. I am a man.
This is the way of things now.
Get yourself dressed!
Why, have you changed your mind?
A very rude chap
You're gonna run out of students.
Fine!
Stanze!
Pack your trunk. We're going away!
You are throwing away
the gift that God gave you.
You selfish little bastard!
♪
Sir, I'm sorry to tell you
that your son is dead.
The Mass for Raimund
is ready to perform.
Great Mass in C Minor
♪
'From this time on,
we are enemies, you and I.'
Kill the man
kill the God.
♪
What's that you're singing?
Oh, it's nothing.
A tune I heard.
You go to the concerts?
I go to casinos.
There's usually
a string quartet.
Quintet, for that one.
But the tune, it stuck with you?
I haven't been able
to get it out my head.
Do you know who wrote it?
No.
I do.
♪
Keep singing it.
♪
Second movement - Andante.
Subdominant key of C major.
It enters your brain,
tunnelling into your subconscious
like a spell.
Yes.
I didn't come here for absolution,
you understand?
Not Not for pleasure.
I can give you whatever
you came here for. Just keep singing.
Enchant me like the Pied Piper.
Like a rat?
What would you do,
if you caught a rat?
Would you be kind to it?
No.
No, you'd want to punish it,
Wouldn't you?
You'd want to hurt it, crush it.
Harder!
Harder. Please.
Piano Concerto No.20
in D Minor
Woo-hoo!
♪
Did I ever tell you I was a priest
at the Church of San Luca?
I mean, the whole of Venice
is beautiful,
assuming you like canals -
which I don't, actually.
Although I do think
I was rather good
at the whole priest thing
Save for the mistress.
I had two children with her,
which
Anyway, they defrocked me,
if you can believe it.
Banished from Venice! Yes,
I can believe that, actually.
The Emperor
and his constant need for reforms!
I mean, it's outrageous.
Child labour outlawed,
Peasants allowed to move wherever
they want How is Constanze these days?
She worries sometimes about,
you know my students, and so on.
Your students? Yes, my students.
They're drying up.
Anyway, more importantly,
the Emperor has commissioned me
to write another opera!
I did hear that. What's it about?
No idea!
I was gonna ask you,
would you like to be a part of it?
Fancy putting some words
to the music?
Well, I'm sorry, darling,
but I have another master.
Do you?
That's funny. He never used to come
to these things.
Ah, I think lately
he's grown something of a dark side.
What do you mean?
Well, I heard
that they don't see him much
at church on Sundays any more.
Let's just say that.
That's not going to happen to us!
The Emperor slaps the faces
of the aristocracy,
asks us to turn the other cheek
and thank him
Hello.
Oh, hi.
I don't really have anything
to say to you. I just thought,
if someone didn't step in
and start talking to you,
you might've murdered one
of those men. Oh, I might still.
I'm Franz Suessmayr.
Are you a friend of my husband's?
Oh, no. Just an admirer.
Oh!
Oh, well, you fit in well here,
then. Very well.
Hm! I saw you sing last year.
Mm? The Mass.
Yes, I
I still think about it.
Anyway, I'm glad I met you.
Have a nice evening.
Court Composer.
Excuse me.
What happened to your eye?
Oh
I slipped getting out of the bath.
They're death traps.
Mm!
My wife insists on having
two a month!
I tell her she's taking her life
into her hands.
How's the new work?
Oh, good.
Les Horaces. Operatic tragedy.
An operatic tragedy!
Well, it's been at least
five minutes since the last one
The librettist?
Da Ponte.
Ugh! Feckless creature.
Ah, Lorenzo has his eccentricities,
But he's the best,
and only the best will do.
Mm.
How are you, Antonio?
I'm fine. It's just
you seem not yourself these days.
I'm not sure what it is. I worry.
You can tell me
if there's something wrong.
Are we talking
about our feelings, Giuseppe?
You're getting soft, Kapellmeister.
I'm perfectly fine.
Mm I do have something
to talk to you about.
The Court
has commissioned Mozart again.
The Emperor likes him.
Well, he's a risk. Well, I mean
you've heard it, Antonio.
My God, the boy can write!
You can't deny that.
Well, I think his talents
may be outweighed by his
Eccentricities?
The Emperor wants
to give him another go.
My hands are tied.
We are opening ourselves up
to ridicule.
Joseph wants his opera houses
to be a shining light
for all of Europe to
Giuseppe
We're going to need
a new Kapellmeister.
Oh, look, there's Salieri.
Our new Kapellmeister.
Congratulations.
Thank you. Hm!
So, how does it feel?
No different. You have all of Vienna
and its musicians in your palm.
You must feel something.
We'll have to be quick today.
I have a lot of meetings.
Will you still be able
to tutor me? Well
A Kapellmeister
has to be very selective
over who he keeps
in his inner circle.
I am going to have to let
a lot of my pupils go.
But you, Katerina
You, I intend to keep
in my palm.
♪
♪
MOZART: Can you imagine?
Choking to death on beef,
of all things!
What's wrong with beef? Well, I can
think of better things to choke on.
There we are, sir.
I love it!
Anton, that sounds a bit flat to me.
Made er they've made Salieri
Kapellmeister, did you hear?
Aloysia mentioned it
eight or nine times, yes.
He's actually summoned me
to go meet with him.
What does he want?
No, Anton, that's sharp now!
Just go through it all again,
I think, please.
I think he wants to talk to me
about the new opera.
Rosenberg thinks I might get a longer
run this time, which is good.
♪
There was a boy at our party
a few weeks ago.
Erm, he'd been at Raimund's Mass.
Right
He remembered hearing me sing.
Hadn't been able
to stop thinking about it.
Yes, well, it was a good piece,
and all that, wasn't it?
I was just thinking
about doing it again.
Doing?
Singing.
Oh, as in professionally, or?
Well, I was a good enough soprano
when I was younger.
There are roles out there
in my range.
I mean
Yes.
Yes, it's just singing a Mass
is one thing,
but opera's kind of
weeks on end, sometimes months.
Anyway
See you later.
♪
♪
Mozart! Come in, come in.
Oof! I was very sorry
to hear about Bonno.
Oh, yes, yes. Terrible.
It makes one wonder, doesn't it
in all this chaos,
what God's plan might be.
Yes, oh, now
Your new commission. Erm
I had to petition hard for you.
Er there are still some
at the Court who needed persuading.
I don't wish to speak ill
of the dead,
but I think that Bonno's passing
may have been of benefit to you,
if you take my meaning?
Yes, absolutely, no, yes. Of course.
And er believe me,
I'm grateful for everything.
I I really am.
Still, what's the theme?
General idea of the thing.
No idea, I'm afraid.
I'm still working on that.
Really?
Well, we were all thinking
something a little fantastical.
Fantastical?
Gods, angels, kings, knights
That sort of a thing.
Bit of a spectacle.
The Emperor wants crowd-pleasers.
You understand.
No, thank you, no.
I think people are bored of that now.
I was imagining, if anything,
Something a little bit
more sort of real life.
You know, just sort of relatable.
Mozart
Audiences don't come to the opera
to see relatable characters.
They come to be inspired!
Yes, I think I can do both.
Of course you can.
I have er given you
The librettist Argenti.
Argenti?
Mm-hm.
Are you joking?
Am I writing a birthday card, or
a singspiel for three-year-olds
Argenti is
a more than competent librettist.
Argenti can barely spell
"librettist". He's a moron!
Be that as it may.
Everyone else is is busy.
Oh, and I almost forgot:
the Emperor wants this
Before Christmas.
Before Christmas?
Yes, I'm sorry.
I I hope that won't be a problem?
Not for me, but I suppose
I better tell Argenti
to start sharpening his quill.
Hope he doesn't
accidentally stab himself
up the arsehole with it Good!
Well, er let me know the theme
as soon as possible.
Of course.
And my best to Constanze.
Thank you so much.
♪
Uh
I want to know what it's like
to make something beautiful.
Mm!
I'm reading the most wonderful book.
It's a play. It's banned, you know.
Banned by whom?
My uncle, obviously.
What's it about?
A marriage.
Lust
and desire.
And lies and truth.
Why has the Emperor banned this book?
He thinks it's dangerous.
It sounds so silly, doesn't it?
Being afraid of something
like a book or a song.
Well
Words can be dangerous.
Perhaps I quite like danger.
If I don't get what I want,
I get bored.
And I hate getting bored.
Well, sometimes life is boring, so
If you can't give me what I want
then I don't see there's any point
in you being my tutor any more,
but I don't think you can afford
to lose me.
I mean
what are you gonna do without me?
Beg on the street?
♪
This is a banned play.
It's banned
because there's truth in it.
It's banned
because it depicts the servants
as smarter than the masters.
Which they are.
Let me say,
as a particularly smart servant
myself,
You should find a different story.
OK. Let me play you something.
Something of what?
Of this.
I've already started writing it.
I can't stop thinking about it.
Well, try harder.
Come on.
No -
One aria! One aria, that's the deal.
Come on!
To what end?
Because you are gonna be
my librettist.
Thank you,
but I told you I'm spoken for
and my other half gets very jealous.
Do you want to spend all your life
Writing milquetoast operas
for Kapellmeister Salieri? Yes!
Don't you ever
just want an easy life?
No! Not at the expense of the music.
Come on, one aria.
All right.
What do you mean, you're quitting?
I've promised my services
to another composer.
Who?
Mozart.
But you're working for me! Yes.
No. Erm, it's just
Yes, no, erm "It's just" what?
He played me some of it.
Well, I suppose
you could work on both at once.
Well, that won't be possible.
Why not?
You're leaving Vienna?
Just until we finish writing it,
Yes. "We"?
Me and Da Ponte.
Why can't you write it here?
Because if anybody finds out
about what we're doing,
they'll shut us down. What?
What is this opera?
It's a secret, Stanze.
I don't understand.
Look, this is how we have to do it.
It can't be ruined.
It's very
You know, it's very delicate,
OK? I can't explain it to you.
No, no, you can't.It's very
Erm,
and the the Princess Elizabeth?
Her lessons?
I I don't know. It's probably good
to have some time apart, frankly.
Time apart?
What do you mean, "Time apart"?
What happened?
Oh no, nothing's happened. Those
lessons are important. I worked
We worked really hard
to get you that job!
I can't be thinking
about fucking music lessons, OK?
I have to do this.
I have to do it!
Yes, you have to leave. Yes!
Well, yes.
Will you be back next month?
I don't know.
Probably not. Why?
It'll be Raimund's anniversary.
But I will lay flowers
on your behalf, shall I?
Good afternoon, sir.
Fuck!
Bastard!
Fuck!
Bastard!
Uh
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty,
I have some rather unfortunate news.
You'll remember how,
at Bonno's insistence,
Mozart was given
another opera commission.
Well, I
he's stolen my librettist, you see,
and what's more,
he's refusing to reveal
what his opera is even about.
Your Majesty, what what happened?
One of the dogs bit me.
Tried to stop it mauling a stag.
I was stupid.
Bonno didn't commission Mozart -
I did.
Aren't there enough librettists in this
damn town to go around? Can't you all share?
Well, of course, of course
of course we can.
There is, however, another matter,
a more sensitive matter
I thought you should be aware of.
There are rumours
that Mozart may have been erm
in indelicate with the Princess.
Indelicate? I'll have him whipped.
Oh, no. Just his manner, sir.
Nothing that would have crossed
that line, I assure you.
But even so
Erm
Yes, no, we can't have
any suggestion of impropriety,
Especially given her temperament.
We can have him quietly removed
from the position.
No need for a scandal.
And I can find somebody
more appropriate to tutor her.
Fischer, perhaps?
No, you do it.
Me tutor her? Are you sure?
Yes, it's cleaner that way.
Besides, I've enough on my plate
as it is right now.
Of course. And, and and the opera?
You're the Kapellmeister now.
If one of your composers
is writing a secret opera,
it is up to you
to find out what it is
before whining to me about it!
I'm gonna wash this shit off me.
Amadeus! Amadeus!
Jesus Christ!
Are you working?
Not in the carriage, Wolfgang!
This is a sacred space.
What's there to it, anyway?
Oi, excuse me!
It's a farce.
Everyone dresses up
as everyone else.
So-and-so hides
under so-and-so's frock.
They all fuck each other. The end.
It's not that kind of farce.
There's more to it than that.
Figaro. Susanna.
They lose each other,
then find each other again.
It's complicated.
We need to capture the spirit of it.
Erm
The Marriage Of Figaro.
Yes.
How's the Marriage of Mozart?
OK, look
Pour me another drink!
Go on.
Argh!
Come on!
♪
Wolfgang,
you've dragged me away from Vienna
To write an illegal opera with you.
I was under the impression
that we'd at least be very drunk -
very drunk!
I'm trying to work out the feeling
of this section. What is it?
The Count is confused.
He thinks Susanna doesn't love him.
OK, we can have her lie to him.
You know, give him a false hope,
a false promise.
Deception.Deception.
Betrayal.
Forgiveness?
Ooh!
Forgiveness is good.
Yeah, forgiveness is good.
OK, yes, a theme of forgiveness.
Wolfgang, I'm going
to invite some girls over now.
Uh-huh.
You could just put a pin
in the opera chat for five minutes.
Susanna and the Countess
have started working together,
That's why
Susanna goes to the Count.
But she needs to convince HIM
that she does love him.
That's all part of this amusing plot.
And it's, like, "Oh, finally!
Crudel! Perche finora"
"Cruel girl,
why did you make me wait so long?"
You know, erm
I was a priest in Venice.
And how does it end?
The opera?
Er, well,
they end up happily together.
So not like real life, then?
Oh, no, don't don't say that.
He's so sweet,
he's writing this for his wife.
Anyway, thank you for the company.
This has been fun.
Where are you going?
I'm going to work!
Fucking hell.
You can't leave.
You've just told us all about your
opera, you have to play us some.
Well, the instruments
are all in my room, so I
Well, you could play it to me
in your room, then.
Amadeus! Amadeus!
♪
Put your bow down and fuck someone!
♪
That's the duet from the Third Act.
I didn't actually think
you were going to play me
your opera.
Hmm
Yes.
It was very nice, though.
And you're writing it
for your wife?
Yes.
You could just talk to her.
This is how I talk.
Well, it better be good, then.
Yes
♪
Crudel! Perche Finora duet
Mi sento dal con ten to
Pieno di gioia il cor
Scusatemi se men to
Voi che intendete amor ♪
Stanze!
♪
STANZE!
Symphony No. 80,
Menuet - Trio
Hello, Frau Mozart?
Oh!
Sorry to startle you.
Franz Suessmayr.
We met a while ago.
Yes, yes, you rescued me
from a very boring conversation
at a party.
Do you remember?
Yes. What can I do for you?
Well, I wondered if I could talk
to your husband? Oh, he's not here.
Oh, that's a shame.
I'm here on behalf of the Royal
Viennese School of Music, you see.
We've been writing to him
about performing for us.
You should come in.
Oh, no, I shouldn't.
You'll get washed away.
Come in.
Thank you.
So this performance
For the school.
I mean, it would just need to be
a half an hour, just
just some works on the forte piano,
maybe the viola -
whatever he wanted.
Two florins.
Two florins?
For an hour, yes.
He doesn't do half-hour concerts.
My husband is a royally commissioned
opera composer
and erstwhile tutor
to the Princess Elizabeth.
If you require a quartet,
we'll source the musicians
for a 15% cut of each of their fees.
Yes, of course.
Er, I just need to discuss that
with the Head of the School.
And the fee would need to be paid
up front, of course.Naturally.
You speak very plainly.
Is that a problem?
No.
No, not at all.
I like it.
Er, well
It was a pleasure seeing you again.
Sorry.
You know,
this is probably an imposition,
but er there's a concert
tomorrow, actually.
It's just a small thing,
but it's quite fun.
You and your husband
would be very welcome.
Well, my husband's away, so
Yes, of course. You said.
Well I mean, you could come.
I'll save you a table.
It's at Schuman's.
Do you know it?
Yes.
I could tell you all about
the school and the performance.
A couple of glasses of schnapps, I'm
sure you could even raise that fee
by a bit!
Yes, well maybe.
Maybe. Maybe I'll come.
Aah!
It's perfect.
Send a call-out for musicians.
Get them here within the week.
And you think they'll all come? Just
tell them that Mozart and Da Ponte
have written the greatest opera
they'll ever have the chance
to perform,
and then they'll come.
This will be erm
worth it, won't it? Doing this?
Yes, I think she'll like it.
Erm, I was more talking about
whether its artistic merits
might be enough
to keep us out of jail
for disobeying the Emperor.
Hmm
Well, that's part of the fun.
That's part of the fun.
That is part of the fun OK.
OK, all right, thank you!
We'll take it.
♪
'My darling Constanze.
We have stopped in a small town
for a few weeks
in the hope of finding an opera
and all of the pieces
are fitting into place
in ways even better than
I could have hoped ' ♪
'..and I feel so strongly that
when you listen to this opera,
you will see what's in my heart
in new ways,
in ways that I hope
you will truly understand.
I miss you
and I love you and I look forward
to when we are together'
Hi.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
Now, for this next performance
I need a female voice.
Who can sing here? Who do we know?
Me!
Madam, what about you?
No.
Oh
Come on!
You came.
Yes.
Do you know this one?
Mm-hm.
Bald wird sich auch dieses fuegen
Dass wir eins in Zimmer sind
Bald werde ich trotz allem Neide
Freier at men von der Brust
♪
Wenn ich dir mein Herz und Hand
Mit dem Jawort zugewandt
Wenn ich dir mein Herz und Hand
Mit dem Jawort zugewandt ♪
So you'll never be
a prima Donna - so what?
A mediocre soprano
in a family full of coloraturas.
That wouldn't bother you?
It would bother me a little bit.
Then marry a prodigy
and see how that feels!
Your husband is exceptional.
Mm. That's one word for him.
Also useless, chaotic
And no-one knows
what to do with him.
They can't rely on him,
but they can't let him go.
He's just like erm
A moth dancing around in a lamp.
And he'll either fly away,
or he'll burn.
And me with him.
What?
"A moth in a lamp"?
Mm-hm.
It's a metaphor.
It's a good one. Shut up.
How long is he away for?
I don't know.
I got a letter from him
saying they'd found
a rehearsal space in Trebic
At the end of the month.
I think they plan to stay there
till November, at least.
Where the hell's Trebic?
No idea.
Hmm!
November is a long time
to be alone.Hmm.
Yes, it is.
♪
Trebic? They've booked
a rehearsal space there
for the end of the month.
Kapellmeister,
I hope you don't mind me
questioning you, but I
Well, I don't want to feel
as if I'm engaging in subterfuge.
Oh, Franz.
I care deeply for Mozart.
He has the artist's proclivity
for self-destruction.
It's my job as Kapellmeister
and his friend
To make sure he doesn't indulge
those instincts.
You can clear your conscience.
By helping me, you are helping him.
And his wife, as well.
Hello, baby.
I miss you.
Do you still listen to me sing?
I hope so.
♪
You must practise, Princess.
But I don't like to.
I'm sure
you could think of a way
to help me remember it all
without the work.
Do you like it?
My uncle got it for me.
Ow!
♪
There!
I've made a little map for you
Don't play with me.
I never play games I can't win.
When's Wolfgang coming back?
Oh, he's not.
Hi, there. Hi, nice to see you.
Thank you so much.
Please, there's your entrance.
Hello, my friend.
Hi, sir, welcome.
Opera singers over there
with Lorenzo.
Violin
Er viola.
Are you still with viola, sir?
OK, so everyone go to the pillar.
OK
All right!
Thank you, everybody,
for travelling all this way.
You're probably wondering
why the clandestine nature
of this whole affair.
Well, Lorenzo and I
have a confession to make:
we're not just asking you here
to be co-collaborators
on this opera.
We're also asking you
to be co-conspirators.
What we're rehearsing today is
a version of The Marriage Of Figaro.
Just give us
a few hours of your time,
and if at the end of the rehearsal
you want to leave,
you can leave.
Well, here we go
"Voi, Signor, Che Giusto
Siete" from The Marriage Of Figaro
♪
Franz?
Constanze.
I was just passing
Well, no. Actually, I
I never pass by here.
It's miles from my apartment.
Extremely inconvenient.
But I came because
I wanted to come and tell you
I'm leaving.
For a bit.
I see.
I didn't want you to think
that I just disappeared.
No.
No, no, that's very kind of you.
I will be back in Vienna
on the 10th of December.
Your husband
He'll be back.
Yes.
I th I thought maybe I would
visit the St Michael's Church
on the evening I return.
If someone wanted to find me
alone
that's where I'd be.
Why are you telling me that?
Because I think I would go mad
if I didn't.
I merely require
two minutes of His Majesty's time.
I'm afraid it's just not possible.
Young man, I have a weekly routine
with the Emperor
whereby I try to teach him
the forte piano
and he resolutely fails to retain
a single piece of my knowledge!
Now, we do this every Thursday
at this time.
Now, if he is too busy
Herr Salieri, it is simply -
I'M THE KAPELLMEISTER OF
THE COURT OF EMPEROR JOSEPH II,
and I
Antonio.
Your Majesty, I do apologise
for this cacophony, but
Right, yes, come in.
There's no time for a music lesson
today, I'm afraid, Antonio.
The Ottomans
have provoked Russia into war
and we are treaty-bound
to defend them
with everything that we have.
Revolution brewing
in the Netherlands,
Prussians sabre-rattling
at the North.
There could hardly be
a more inopportune time for a war.
I have no experience of war.
Mm! I should hope you never will.
What was it that you wanted
to speak to me about? I
Yes, erm
I have heard word of a banned opera
being readied for performance.
Banned opera?
Yes.
The Marriage Of Figaro, Your
Majesty. You banned it yourself.
I've no memory of it.
What's it about?
Adultery, sin, betrayal,
upper classes
being depicted as fools,
the working poor their betters.
Who wrote it?
Mozart.
And the librettist?
Da Ponte.
I thought he was doing yours.
No.
Right, so it'll be in Italian.
Only the aristocrats
will understand it.
They're hardly likely
to start a revolution
Look, Antonio,
I don't recall banning this play.
I also don't recall its title
being used as the primary motive
in any peasant uprisings
that may be occurring.
Let them put it on. Go with
Van Swieten to the opening night.
If the audience are moved
to leave the theatre
and march on the palace
demanding my head,
then you have my permission
to shut it down.
♪
Stanze!
I I need to leave!
I'll meet you there.
Pardon?
I'll meet you there!
All right.
Excuse me.
Five minutes. Five minutes!
Are you all right?
Hmm?
Are you all right?
Yes.
Constanze isn't here yet, so
I need
Listen to me.
I quit the Kapellmeister's opera
to do this
because I believe in it.
And I believe in you.
But it does need to go well,
you understand?
Yes.
Now, what do we say?
We say fuck 'em all. Yes?
Fuck 'em all. Yes.
Fuck 'em all. Good boy!
No! Turn around.
Sit down.
The Marriage Of Figaro
♪
Contessa, per do no
Perdono
Perdo-o-o-o-ono
Piu docile io sono
E dico di si
'He had secured greatness.
Written himself immortal.
And I said nothing.'
Ah, tutti contenti
Saremo cosi
Saremo cosi
Saremo
Cosi
Hey!
Where are you going?
♪
Our Emperor rides to war,
and you incite a mob?
You couldn't hear it, could you?
You never could.
Shame, you know.
I was starting to enjoy it.
♪
The following programme
contains strong language
and scenes of a sexual nature
From the outset.
It's the Salieris!
Your bride is on the table.
We all know how beholden
you are to this Emperor!
A new job has become available.
I was wondering if you might
bring me his manuscripts,
make his case for the Emperor.
But you are a woman. I am a man.
This is the way of things now.
Get yourself dressed!
Why, have you changed your mind?
A very rude chap
You're gonna run out of students.
Fine!
Stanze!
Pack your trunk. We're going away!
You are throwing away
the gift that God gave you.
You selfish little bastard!
♪
Sir, I'm sorry to tell you
that your son is dead.
The Mass for Raimund
is ready to perform.
Great Mass in C Minor
♪
'From this time on,
we are enemies, you and I.'
Kill the man
kill the God.
♪
What's that you're singing?
Oh, it's nothing.
A tune I heard.
You go to the concerts?
I go to casinos.
There's usually
a string quartet.
Quintet, for that one.
But the tune, it stuck with you?
I haven't been able
to get it out my head.
Do you know who wrote it?
No.
I do.
♪
Keep singing it.
♪
Second movement - Andante.
Subdominant key of C major.
It enters your brain,
tunnelling into your subconscious
like a spell.
Yes.
I didn't come here for absolution,
you understand?
Not Not for pleasure.
I can give you whatever
you came here for. Just keep singing.
Enchant me like the Pied Piper.
Like a rat?
What would you do,
if you caught a rat?
Would you be kind to it?
No.
No, you'd want to punish it,
Wouldn't you?
You'd want to hurt it, crush it.
Harder!
Harder. Please.
Piano Concerto No.20
in D Minor
Woo-hoo!
♪
Did I ever tell you I was a priest
at the Church of San Luca?
I mean, the whole of Venice
is beautiful,
assuming you like canals -
which I don't, actually.
Although I do think
I was rather good
at the whole priest thing
Save for the mistress.
I had two children with her,
which
Anyway, they defrocked me,
if you can believe it.
Banished from Venice! Yes,
I can believe that, actually.
The Emperor
and his constant need for reforms!
I mean, it's outrageous.
Child labour outlawed,
Peasants allowed to move wherever
they want How is Constanze these days?
She worries sometimes about,
you know my students, and so on.
Your students? Yes, my students.
They're drying up.
Anyway, more importantly,
the Emperor has commissioned me
to write another opera!
I did hear that. What's it about?
No idea!
I was gonna ask you,
would you like to be a part of it?
Fancy putting some words
to the music?
Well, I'm sorry, darling,
but I have another master.
Do you?
That's funny. He never used to come
to these things.
Ah, I think lately
he's grown something of a dark side.
What do you mean?
Well, I heard
that they don't see him much
at church on Sundays any more.
Let's just say that.
That's not going to happen to us!
The Emperor slaps the faces
of the aristocracy,
asks us to turn the other cheek
and thank him
Hello.
Oh, hi.
I don't really have anything
to say to you. I just thought,
if someone didn't step in
and start talking to you,
you might've murdered one
of those men. Oh, I might still.
I'm Franz Suessmayr.
Are you a friend of my husband's?
Oh, no. Just an admirer.
Oh!
Oh, well, you fit in well here,
then. Very well.
Hm! I saw you sing last year.
Mm? The Mass.
Yes, I
I still think about it.
Anyway, I'm glad I met you.
Have a nice evening.
Court Composer.
Excuse me.
What happened to your eye?
Oh
I slipped getting out of the bath.
They're death traps.
Mm!
My wife insists on having
two a month!
I tell her she's taking her life
into her hands.
How's the new work?
Oh, good.
Les Horaces. Operatic tragedy.
An operatic tragedy!
Well, it's been at least
five minutes since the last one
The librettist?
Da Ponte.
Ugh! Feckless creature.
Ah, Lorenzo has his eccentricities,
But he's the best,
and only the best will do.
Mm.
How are you, Antonio?
I'm fine. It's just
you seem not yourself these days.
I'm not sure what it is. I worry.
You can tell me
if there's something wrong.
Are we talking
about our feelings, Giuseppe?
You're getting soft, Kapellmeister.
I'm perfectly fine.
Mm I do have something
to talk to you about.
The Court
has commissioned Mozart again.
The Emperor likes him.
Well, he's a risk. Well, I mean
you've heard it, Antonio.
My God, the boy can write!
You can't deny that.
Well, I think his talents
may be outweighed by his
Eccentricities?
The Emperor wants
to give him another go.
My hands are tied.
We are opening ourselves up
to ridicule.
Joseph wants his opera houses
to be a shining light
for all of Europe to
Giuseppe
We're going to need
a new Kapellmeister.
Oh, look, there's Salieri.
Our new Kapellmeister.
Congratulations.
Thank you. Hm!
So, how does it feel?
No different. You have all of Vienna
and its musicians in your palm.
You must feel something.
We'll have to be quick today.
I have a lot of meetings.
Will you still be able
to tutor me? Well
A Kapellmeister
has to be very selective
over who he keeps
in his inner circle.
I am going to have to let
a lot of my pupils go.
But you, Katerina
You, I intend to keep
in my palm.
♪
♪
MOZART: Can you imagine?
Choking to death on beef,
of all things!
What's wrong with beef? Well, I can
think of better things to choke on.
There we are, sir.
I love it!
Anton, that sounds a bit flat to me.
Made er they've made Salieri
Kapellmeister, did you hear?
Aloysia mentioned it
eight or nine times, yes.
He's actually summoned me
to go meet with him.
What does he want?
No, Anton, that's sharp now!
Just go through it all again,
I think, please.
I think he wants to talk to me
about the new opera.
Rosenberg thinks I might get a longer
run this time, which is good.
♪
There was a boy at our party
a few weeks ago.
Erm, he'd been at Raimund's Mass.
Right
He remembered hearing me sing.
Hadn't been able
to stop thinking about it.
Yes, well, it was a good piece,
and all that, wasn't it?
I was just thinking
about doing it again.
Doing?
Singing.
Oh, as in professionally, or?
Well, I was a good enough soprano
when I was younger.
There are roles out there
in my range.
I mean
Yes.
Yes, it's just singing a Mass
is one thing,
but opera's kind of
weeks on end, sometimes months.
Anyway
See you later.
♪
♪
Mozart! Come in, come in.
Oof! I was very sorry
to hear about Bonno.
Oh, yes, yes. Terrible.
It makes one wonder, doesn't it
in all this chaos,
what God's plan might be.
Yes, oh, now
Your new commission. Erm
I had to petition hard for you.
Er there are still some
at the Court who needed persuading.
I don't wish to speak ill
of the dead,
but I think that Bonno's passing
may have been of benefit to you,
if you take my meaning?
Yes, absolutely, no, yes. Of course.
And er believe me,
I'm grateful for everything.
I I really am.
Still, what's the theme?
General idea of the thing.
No idea, I'm afraid.
I'm still working on that.
Really?
Well, we were all thinking
something a little fantastical.
Fantastical?
Gods, angels, kings, knights
That sort of a thing.
Bit of a spectacle.
The Emperor wants crowd-pleasers.
You understand.
No, thank you, no.
I think people are bored of that now.
I was imagining, if anything,
Something a little bit
more sort of real life.
You know, just sort of relatable.
Mozart
Audiences don't come to the opera
to see relatable characters.
They come to be inspired!
Yes, I think I can do both.
Of course you can.
I have er given you
The librettist Argenti.
Argenti?
Mm-hm.
Are you joking?
Am I writing a birthday card, or
a singspiel for three-year-olds
Argenti is
a more than competent librettist.
Argenti can barely spell
"librettist". He's a moron!
Be that as it may.
Everyone else is is busy.
Oh, and I almost forgot:
the Emperor wants this
Before Christmas.
Before Christmas?
Yes, I'm sorry.
I I hope that won't be a problem?
Not for me, but I suppose
I better tell Argenti
to start sharpening his quill.
Hope he doesn't
accidentally stab himself
up the arsehole with it Good!
Well, er let me know the theme
as soon as possible.
Of course.
And my best to Constanze.
Thank you so much.
♪
Uh
I want to know what it's like
to make something beautiful.
Mm!
I'm reading the most wonderful book.
It's a play. It's banned, you know.
Banned by whom?
My uncle, obviously.
What's it about?
A marriage.
Lust
and desire.
And lies and truth.
Why has the Emperor banned this book?
He thinks it's dangerous.
It sounds so silly, doesn't it?
Being afraid of something
like a book or a song.
Well
Words can be dangerous.
Perhaps I quite like danger.
If I don't get what I want,
I get bored.
And I hate getting bored.
Well, sometimes life is boring, so
If you can't give me what I want
then I don't see there's any point
in you being my tutor any more,
but I don't think you can afford
to lose me.
I mean
what are you gonna do without me?
Beg on the street?
♪
This is a banned play.
It's banned
because there's truth in it.
It's banned
because it depicts the servants
as smarter than the masters.
Which they are.
Let me say,
as a particularly smart servant
myself,
You should find a different story.
OK. Let me play you something.
Something of what?
Of this.
I've already started writing it.
I can't stop thinking about it.
Well, try harder.
Come on.
No -
One aria! One aria, that's the deal.
Come on!
To what end?
Because you are gonna be
my librettist.
Thank you,
but I told you I'm spoken for
and my other half gets very jealous.
Do you want to spend all your life
Writing milquetoast operas
for Kapellmeister Salieri? Yes!
Don't you ever
just want an easy life?
No! Not at the expense of the music.
Come on, one aria.
All right.
What do you mean, you're quitting?
I've promised my services
to another composer.
Who?
Mozart.
But you're working for me! Yes.
No. Erm, it's just
Yes, no, erm "It's just" what?
He played me some of it.
Well, I suppose
you could work on both at once.
Well, that won't be possible.
Why not?
You're leaving Vienna?
Just until we finish writing it,
Yes. "We"?
Me and Da Ponte.
Why can't you write it here?
Because if anybody finds out
about what we're doing,
they'll shut us down. What?
What is this opera?
It's a secret, Stanze.
I don't understand.
Look, this is how we have to do it.
It can't be ruined.
It's very
You know, it's very delicate,
OK? I can't explain it to you.
No, no, you can't.It's very
Erm,
and the the Princess Elizabeth?
Her lessons?
I I don't know. It's probably good
to have some time apart, frankly.
Time apart?
What do you mean, "Time apart"?
What happened?
Oh no, nothing's happened. Those
lessons are important. I worked
We worked really hard
to get you that job!
I can't be thinking
about fucking music lessons, OK?
I have to do this.
I have to do it!
Yes, you have to leave. Yes!
Well, yes.
Will you be back next month?
I don't know.
Probably not. Why?
It'll be Raimund's anniversary.
But I will lay flowers
on your behalf, shall I?
Good afternoon, sir.
Fuck!
Bastard!
Fuck!
Bastard!
Uh
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty,
I have some rather unfortunate news.
You'll remember how,
at Bonno's insistence,
Mozart was given
another opera commission.
Well, I
he's stolen my librettist, you see,
and what's more,
he's refusing to reveal
what his opera is even about.
Your Majesty, what what happened?
One of the dogs bit me.
Tried to stop it mauling a stag.
I was stupid.
Bonno didn't commission Mozart -
I did.
Aren't there enough librettists in this
damn town to go around? Can't you all share?
Well, of course, of course
of course we can.
There is, however, another matter,
a more sensitive matter
I thought you should be aware of.
There are rumours
that Mozart may have been erm
in indelicate with the Princess.
Indelicate? I'll have him whipped.
Oh, no. Just his manner, sir.
Nothing that would have crossed
that line, I assure you.
But even so
Erm
Yes, no, we can't have
any suggestion of impropriety,
Especially given her temperament.
We can have him quietly removed
from the position.
No need for a scandal.
And I can find somebody
more appropriate to tutor her.
Fischer, perhaps?
No, you do it.
Me tutor her? Are you sure?
Yes, it's cleaner that way.
Besides, I've enough on my plate
as it is right now.
Of course. And, and and the opera?
You're the Kapellmeister now.
If one of your composers
is writing a secret opera,
it is up to you
to find out what it is
before whining to me about it!
I'm gonna wash this shit off me.
Amadeus! Amadeus!
Jesus Christ!
Are you working?
Not in the carriage, Wolfgang!
This is a sacred space.
What's there to it, anyway?
Oi, excuse me!
It's a farce.
Everyone dresses up
as everyone else.
So-and-so hides
under so-and-so's frock.
They all fuck each other. The end.
It's not that kind of farce.
There's more to it than that.
Figaro. Susanna.
They lose each other,
then find each other again.
It's complicated.
We need to capture the spirit of it.
Erm
The Marriage Of Figaro.
Yes.
How's the Marriage of Mozart?
OK, look
Pour me another drink!
Go on.
Argh!
Come on!
♪
Wolfgang,
you've dragged me away from Vienna
To write an illegal opera with you.
I was under the impression
that we'd at least be very drunk -
very drunk!
I'm trying to work out the feeling
of this section. What is it?
The Count is confused.
He thinks Susanna doesn't love him.
OK, we can have her lie to him.
You know, give him a false hope,
a false promise.
Deception.Deception.
Betrayal.
Forgiveness?
Ooh!
Forgiveness is good.
Yeah, forgiveness is good.
OK, yes, a theme of forgiveness.
Wolfgang, I'm going
to invite some girls over now.
Uh-huh.
You could just put a pin
in the opera chat for five minutes.
Susanna and the Countess
have started working together,
That's why
Susanna goes to the Count.
But she needs to convince HIM
that she does love him.
That's all part of this amusing plot.
And it's, like, "Oh, finally!
Crudel! Perche finora"
"Cruel girl,
why did you make me wait so long?"
You know, erm
I was a priest in Venice.
And how does it end?
The opera?
Er, well,
they end up happily together.
So not like real life, then?
Oh, no, don't don't say that.
He's so sweet,
he's writing this for his wife.
Anyway, thank you for the company.
This has been fun.
Where are you going?
I'm going to work!
Fucking hell.
You can't leave.
You've just told us all about your
opera, you have to play us some.
Well, the instruments
are all in my room, so I
Well, you could play it to me
in your room, then.
Amadeus! Amadeus!
♪
Put your bow down and fuck someone!
♪
That's the duet from the Third Act.
I didn't actually think
you were going to play me
your opera.
Hmm
Yes.
It was very nice, though.
And you're writing it
for your wife?
Yes.
You could just talk to her.
This is how I talk.
Well, it better be good, then.
Yes
♪
Crudel! Perche Finora duet
Mi sento dal con ten to
Pieno di gioia il cor
Scusatemi se men to
Voi che intendete amor ♪
Stanze!
♪
STANZE!
Symphony No. 80,
Menuet - Trio
Hello, Frau Mozart?
Oh!
Sorry to startle you.
Franz Suessmayr.
We met a while ago.
Yes, yes, you rescued me
from a very boring conversation
at a party.
Do you remember?
Yes. What can I do for you?
Well, I wondered if I could talk
to your husband? Oh, he's not here.
Oh, that's a shame.
I'm here on behalf of the Royal
Viennese School of Music, you see.
We've been writing to him
about performing for us.
You should come in.
Oh, no, I shouldn't.
You'll get washed away.
Come in.
Thank you.
So this performance
For the school.
I mean, it would just need to be
a half an hour, just
just some works on the forte piano,
maybe the viola -
whatever he wanted.
Two florins.
Two florins?
For an hour, yes.
He doesn't do half-hour concerts.
My husband is a royally commissioned
opera composer
and erstwhile tutor
to the Princess Elizabeth.
If you require a quartet,
we'll source the musicians
for a 15% cut of each of their fees.
Yes, of course.
Er, I just need to discuss that
with the Head of the School.
And the fee would need to be paid
up front, of course.Naturally.
You speak very plainly.
Is that a problem?
No.
No, not at all.
I like it.
Er, well
It was a pleasure seeing you again.
Sorry.
You know,
this is probably an imposition,
but er there's a concert
tomorrow, actually.
It's just a small thing,
but it's quite fun.
You and your husband
would be very welcome.
Well, my husband's away, so
Yes, of course. You said.
Well I mean, you could come.
I'll save you a table.
It's at Schuman's.
Do you know it?
Yes.
I could tell you all about
the school and the performance.
A couple of glasses of schnapps, I'm
sure you could even raise that fee
by a bit!
Yes, well maybe.
Maybe. Maybe I'll come.
Aah!
It's perfect.
Send a call-out for musicians.
Get them here within the week.
And you think they'll all come? Just
tell them that Mozart and Da Ponte
have written the greatest opera
they'll ever have the chance
to perform,
and then they'll come.
This will be erm
worth it, won't it? Doing this?
Yes, I think she'll like it.
Erm, I was more talking about
whether its artistic merits
might be enough
to keep us out of jail
for disobeying the Emperor.
Hmm
Well, that's part of the fun.
That's part of the fun.
That is part of the fun OK.
OK, all right, thank you!
We'll take it.
♪
'My darling Constanze.
We have stopped in a small town
for a few weeks
in the hope of finding an opera
and all of the pieces
are fitting into place
in ways even better than
I could have hoped ' ♪
'..and I feel so strongly that
when you listen to this opera,
you will see what's in my heart
in new ways,
in ways that I hope
you will truly understand.
I miss you
and I love you and I look forward
to when we are together'
Hi.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
Now, for this next performance
I need a female voice.
Who can sing here? Who do we know?
Me!
Madam, what about you?
No.
Oh
Come on!
You came.
Yes.
Do you know this one?
Mm-hm.
Bald wird sich auch dieses fuegen
Dass wir eins in Zimmer sind
Bald werde ich trotz allem Neide
Freier at men von der Brust
♪
Wenn ich dir mein Herz und Hand
Mit dem Jawort zugewandt
Wenn ich dir mein Herz und Hand
Mit dem Jawort zugewandt ♪
So you'll never be
a prima Donna - so what?
A mediocre soprano
in a family full of coloraturas.
That wouldn't bother you?
It would bother me a little bit.
Then marry a prodigy
and see how that feels!
Your husband is exceptional.
Mm. That's one word for him.
Also useless, chaotic
And no-one knows
what to do with him.
They can't rely on him,
but they can't let him go.
He's just like erm
A moth dancing around in a lamp.
And he'll either fly away,
or he'll burn.
And me with him.
What?
"A moth in a lamp"?
Mm-hm.
It's a metaphor.
It's a good one. Shut up.
How long is he away for?
I don't know.
I got a letter from him
saying they'd found
a rehearsal space in Trebic
At the end of the month.
I think they plan to stay there
till November, at least.
Where the hell's Trebic?
No idea.
Hmm!
November is a long time
to be alone.Hmm.
Yes, it is.
♪
Trebic? They've booked
a rehearsal space there
for the end of the month.
Kapellmeister,
I hope you don't mind me
questioning you, but I
Well, I don't want to feel
as if I'm engaging in subterfuge.
Oh, Franz.
I care deeply for Mozart.
He has the artist's proclivity
for self-destruction.
It's my job as Kapellmeister
and his friend
To make sure he doesn't indulge
those instincts.
You can clear your conscience.
By helping me, you are helping him.
And his wife, as well.
Hello, baby.
I miss you.
Do you still listen to me sing?
I hope so.
♪
You must practise, Princess.
But I don't like to.
I'm sure
you could think of a way
to help me remember it all
without the work.
Do you like it?
My uncle got it for me.
Ow!
♪
There!
I've made a little map for you
Don't play with me.
I never play games I can't win.
When's Wolfgang coming back?
Oh, he's not.
Hi, there. Hi, nice to see you.
Thank you so much.
Please, there's your entrance.
Hello, my friend.
Hi, sir, welcome.
Opera singers over there
with Lorenzo.
Violin
Er viola.
Are you still with viola, sir?
OK, so everyone go to the pillar.
OK
All right!
Thank you, everybody,
for travelling all this way.
You're probably wondering
why the clandestine nature
of this whole affair.
Well, Lorenzo and I
have a confession to make:
we're not just asking you here
to be co-collaborators
on this opera.
We're also asking you
to be co-conspirators.
What we're rehearsing today is
a version of The Marriage Of Figaro.
Just give us
a few hours of your time,
and if at the end of the rehearsal
you want to leave,
you can leave.
Well, here we go
"Voi, Signor, Che Giusto
Siete" from The Marriage Of Figaro
♪
Franz?
Constanze.
I was just passing
Well, no. Actually, I
I never pass by here.
It's miles from my apartment.
Extremely inconvenient.
But I came because
I wanted to come and tell you
I'm leaving.
For a bit.
I see.
I didn't want you to think
that I just disappeared.
No.
No, no, that's very kind of you.
I will be back in Vienna
on the 10th of December.
Your husband
He'll be back.
Yes.
I th I thought maybe I would
visit the St Michael's Church
on the evening I return.
If someone wanted to find me
alone
that's where I'd be.
Why are you telling me that?
Because I think I would go mad
if I didn't.
I merely require
two minutes of His Majesty's time.
I'm afraid it's just not possible.
Young man, I have a weekly routine
with the Emperor
whereby I try to teach him
the forte piano
and he resolutely fails to retain
a single piece of my knowledge!
Now, we do this every Thursday
at this time.
Now, if he is too busy
Herr Salieri, it is simply -
I'M THE KAPELLMEISTER OF
THE COURT OF EMPEROR JOSEPH II,
and I
Antonio.
Your Majesty, I do apologise
for this cacophony, but
Right, yes, come in.
There's no time for a music lesson
today, I'm afraid, Antonio.
The Ottomans
have provoked Russia into war
and we are treaty-bound
to defend them
with everything that we have.
Revolution brewing
in the Netherlands,
Prussians sabre-rattling
at the North.
There could hardly be
a more inopportune time for a war.
I have no experience of war.
Mm! I should hope you never will.
What was it that you wanted
to speak to me about? I
Yes, erm
I have heard word of a banned opera
being readied for performance.
Banned opera?
Yes.
The Marriage Of Figaro, Your
Majesty. You banned it yourself.
I've no memory of it.
What's it about?
Adultery, sin, betrayal,
upper classes
being depicted as fools,
the working poor their betters.
Who wrote it?
Mozart.
And the librettist?
Da Ponte.
I thought he was doing yours.
No.
Right, so it'll be in Italian.
Only the aristocrats
will understand it.
They're hardly likely
to start a revolution
Look, Antonio,
I don't recall banning this play.
I also don't recall its title
being used as the primary motive
in any peasant uprisings
that may be occurring.
Let them put it on. Go with
Van Swieten to the opening night.
If the audience are moved
to leave the theatre
and march on the palace
demanding my head,
then you have my permission
to shut it down.
♪
Stanze!
I I need to leave!
I'll meet you there.
Pardon?
I'll meet you there!
All right.
Excuse me.
Five minutes. Five minutes!
Are you all right?
Hmm?
Are you all right?
Yes.
Constanze isn't here yet, so
I need
Listen to me.
I quit the Kapellmeister's opera
to do this
because I believe in it.
And I believe in you.
But it does need to go well,
you understand?
Yes.
Now, what do we say?
We say fuck 'em all. Yes?
Fuck 'em all. Yes.
Fuck 'em all. Good boy!
No! Turn around.
Sit down.
The Marriage Of Figaro
♪
Contessa, per do no
Perdono
Perdo-o-o-o-ono
Piu docile io sono
E dico di si
'He had secured greatness.
Written himself immortal.
And I said nothing.'
Ah, tutti contenti
Saremo cosi
Saremo cosi
Saremo
Cosi
Hey!
Where are you going?
♪
Our Emperor rides to war,
and you incite a mob?
You couldn't hear it, could you?
You never could.
Shame, you know.
I was starting to enjoy it.
♪