Amadeus Page #41

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Whoa! Whoa, Ottavio! Whoa!

Leporello pries open the horse's mouth. Schikaneder pops the

egg into it. A breathless pause as a drum roll builds the

tension, up and up and up, and then suddenly out of the

horse's rear-end flies a single white dove.

Wild applause.

It flies into the audience. Immediately all the cast start

humming the lyrical finale from Figaro: Tutti Contenti.

More and more doves fly out from the wings and fill the

theatre. Everybody picks up the sausages and cakes and begins

to eat. The end of the sketch is unexpectedly lyrical and

magical, and then, suddenly, the tempo changes and the coarse

strains of Ich Mochte wohl Der Kaiser take over and the whole

company is dancing, frantically. A general dance as the

curtain falls.

It rises immediately. The audience - including Mozart - is

delighted. They applaud vigorously. Schikaneder takes a bow

amongst his troupe. Among much whistling and clapping, he

finally jumps off the stage and strides through the audience

toward the table where Mozart sits with his family. On stage,

a troupe of bag pipers immediately appears to play an old

German tune. Some of the audience joins in singing it.

SCHIKANEDER:

Well, how do you like that?

Mozart is smiling; he has been amused. Constanze has been

less amused and is looking apprehensive.

MOZART:

Wonderful!

(indicating his baby

son)

He liked the monkey, didn't you?

SCHIKANEDER:

Yes, well, it's all good fun.

MOZART:

I liked the horse.

Schikaneder sits at the table, and drinks from a bottle of

wine.

SCHIKANEDER:

Isn't he marvelous? He cost me a

bundle, that horse, but he's worth

it. I tell you, if you'd played Don

Giovanni here it would have been a

great success. I'm not joking. These

people aren't fools. You could do

something marvelous for them.

MOZART:

I'd like to try them someday. I'm

not sure I'd be much good at it.

SCHIKANEDER:

'Course you would. You belong here,

my boy, not the snobby Court. You

could do anything you felt like here -

the more fantastic the better! That's

what people want, you know: fantasy.

You do a big production, fill it

with beautiful magic tricks and you'll

be absolutely free to do anything

you want. Of course, you'd have to

put a fire in it, because I've got

the best fire machine in the city

and a big flood - I can do you the

finest water effects you ever saw in

your life. Oh, and a few trick

animals. You'd have to use those.

MOZART:

Animals?

SCHIKANEDER:

I tell you I picked up a snake in

Dresden last week - twelve foot long -

folds up to six inches, just like a

paper fan. It's a miracle.

Mozart laughs.

SCHIKANEDER:

I'm serious. You write a proper part

for me with a couple of catchy songs,

I'll guarantee you'll have a triumph-

de-luxe. Mind you, it'll have to be

in German.

MOZART:

German!

SCHIKANEDER:

Of course! What else do you think

they speak here?

MOZART:

No, no, I love that. I'd want it to

be in German. I haven't done anything

in German since Seraglio.

SCHIKANEDER:

So there you are. What do you say?

CONSTANZE:

How much will you pay him?

SCHIKANEDER:

Ah. Well. Ah,

(to Mozart)

I see you've got your manager with

you. Well, Madame, how about half

the receipts?

MOZART:

Half the receipts! Stanzi!

CONSTANZE:

I'm talking about now. How much will

you give him now? Down payment?

SCHIKANEDER:

Down payment? Who do you think I am?

The Emperor? Whoops, I have to go.

He rises in haste for his next number.

SCHIKANEDER:

Stay where you are. You're going to

like this next one. We'll speak again.

Triumph-de-luxe, my boy!

He winks at Mozart and disappears toward the stage. Mozart

looks after him, enchanted.

CONSTANZE:

You're not going to do this?

MOZART:

Why not? Half the house!

CONSTANZE:

When? We need money now. Either he

pays now, or you don't do it.

MOZART:

Oh, Stanzi.

CONSTANZE:

I don't trust this man. And I didn't

like what he did with your opera.

It was common.

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