Amadeus Page #8

INT. PALACE DINING ROOM - DAY - 1780'S

At the table sits the EMPEROR JOSEPH II, eating his frugal

dinner and sipping goat's milk. He is an intelligent, dapper

man of forty, wearing a military uniform. Around him but

standing, are his Chamberlain, JOHANN VON STRACK: stiff and

highly correct. COUNT ORSINI-ROSENBERG: a corpulent man of

sixty, highly conscious of his position as Director of the

Opera. BARON VON SWIETEN, the Imperial Librarian: a grave

but kindly and educated man in his mid-fifties. FIRST

KAPELLMEISTER GIUSEPPE BONNO: very Italian, cringing and

time-serving, aged about seventy. And Salieri, wearing

decorous black, as usual.

At a side-table, two Imperial secretaries, using quill pens

and inkstands, write down everything of importance that is

said.

JOSEPH:

How good is he, this Mozart?

VON SWIETEN:

He's remarkable, Majesty. I heard an

extraordinary serious opera of his

last month. Idomeneo, King of Crete.

ORSINI-ROSENBERG

That? A most tiresome piece. I heard

it, too.

VON SWIETEN:

Tiresome?

ORSINI-ROSENBERG

A young man trying to impress beyond

his abilities. Too much spice. Too

many notes.

VON SWIETEN:

Majesty, I thought it the most

promising work I've heard in years.

JOSEPH:

Ah-ha. Well then, we should make

some effort to acquire him. We could

use a good German composer in Vienna,

surely?

VON STRACK:

I agree, Majesty, but I'm afraid

it's not possible. The young man is

still in the pay of the Archbishop.

JOSEPH:

Very small pay, I imagine. I'm sure

he could be tempted with the right

offer. Say, an opera in German for

our National Theatre.

VON SWIETEN:

Excellent, sire!

ORSINI-ROSENBERG

But not German, I beg your Majesty!

Italian is the proper language for

opera. All educated people agree on

that.

JOSEPH:

Ah-ha. What do you say, Chamberlain?

VON STRACK:

In my opinion, it is time we had a

piece in our own language, sir. Plain

German. For plain people.

He looks defiantly at Orsini-Rosenberg.

JOSEPH:

Ah-ha. Kapellmeister?

BONNO:

(Italian accent)

Majesty, I must agree with Herr

Dirretore. Opera is an Italian art,

solamente. German is - scusate - too

bruta for singing, too rough.

JOSEPH:

Ah-ha. Court Composer, what do you

say?

SALIERI:

I think it is an interesting notion

to keep Mozart in Vienna, Majesty.

It should really infuriate the

Archbishop beyond measure - if that

is your Majesty's intention.

JOSEPH:

You are cattivo, Court Composer.

(briskly, to Von Strack)

I want to meet this young man.

Chamberlain, arrange a pleasant

welcome for him.

VON STRACK:

Yes, sir.

JOSEPH:

Well. There it is.

INT. BEDROOM IN SALIERI'S APARTMENT - DAY - 1780'S

A somber room which serves both as a bedroom and a study.

We see a four-poster bed. Also, a marble mantelpiece above

which hangs a handsome cross in olivewood, bearing the figure

of a severe Christ. Opposite this image sits Salieri at his

desk, on which stands a pile of music paper, quill pens and

ink. On one side of him is an open forte-piano on which he

occasionally tries notes from the march he is composing,

with some difficulty. He scratches notes out with his quill,

and ruffles his hair - which we see without a powdered wig.

There is a knock at the door.

SALIERI:

Si.

A servant admits LORL, a young lower-class girl, who appears

carrying a basket in which is a box covered with a napkin.

She has just come from the baker's shop.

SALIERI:

Ah! Here she comes. Fraulein Lorl,

good morning.

LORL:

Good morning, sir.

SALIERI:

What have you got for me today? Let

me see.

Greedily he unwraps the napkin and lifts the lid on the box.

SALIERI:

Ah-ha! Siena macaroons - my

favourites. Give my best thanks to

the baker.

LORL:

I will, sir.

He takes a biscuit and eats.

SALIERI:

Thank you. Are you well today,

Fraulein Lorl?

LORL:

Yes, thank you, sir.

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