In the court of the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, Antonio Salieri is the established composer. Enter the greatest musical genius of all time: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Salieri has given himself to God so that he might realize his sole ambition – to be a great composer. Mozart is a foul-mouthed, graceless oaf who has that which is beyond Salieri’s envious grasp: Genius. A Tony Award-winning drama filled with the sounds of rivalry and inspiration.
Amadeus premiered at the National Theatre in London in November 1979. Directed by Peter Hall, the production featured Paul Scofield as Salieri, Simon Callow as Mozart and Felicity Kendal and Constanze. This production transferred to Her Majesty’s Theatre in the West End, starring Frank Finlay as Salieri. Later, the play premiered on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on 11 December 1980. Directed again by Peter Hall, this version featured Ian McKellen as Salieri, Tim Curry as Mozart and Jane Seymour as Constanze. Since then, the show has seen multiple revivals and film and television adaptations.