Amadeus Study Guide

STUDY GUIDE

AMADEUS Sep 10–Oct 12, 2014

Introduction to the World of the PlayAntonio Salieri is a devout composer, who swears his loyalty

to God in exchange for the ability to praise Him through music.Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a child prodigy who had

been paraded around Europe by his father “making him play the keyboard blindfolded, with one finger, and that sort of thing.” Now a spirited (albeit conceited) young man with a controversial fiancé in tow, Mozart lands in Vienna, where Salieri serves as an official court composer.

Here in 1780s Vienna, the stakes are high for both men. To maintain viable careers, they must preserve the Emperor’s approval and tutor enough students. Not only their salaries, but their freedom to compose music depend on it.

More than anyone, Salieri recognizes the genius of Mozart’s music, which makes Mozart’s impish and vulgar behavior seem to him all the more abhorrent. Outraged at a God who would choose this “obscene child” as His vessel, Salieri’s piety dissolves. Praising Mozart’s music at every step, Salieri nonetheless pursues the destruction of its creator, while swearing vengeance against his own.

As their paths intertwine, Salieri learns of Mozart’s weaknesses, and how to exploit them. Patient and plotting Salieri helps fuel Mozart’s flaws—his ego, his extravagance, his infidelities—while pretending to be his friend.

Salieri begins to compete with the unsuspecting Mozart for everything: women, pupils, positions, reputations, and even their respective places in history. And when Mozart finally becomes a social outcast, and his life begins to crumble beneath unemployment, debt, and disease, Salieri is there to take full advantage.

But vengeance is a tricky game, and Salieri’s apparent success is not the end of the story.

SETTING: The action of the play takes place in Vienna, Austria, in November 1823 and, in recall, the decade 1781-91.

BEFORE THE SHOWCAST/CREDITSSteve Brady* Count Orsini-Rosenberg

Yvonne Erickson* Teresa Salieri

Kayla Ferguson* Constanze Weber

Gannon McHale* Count von Strack

Stanton Nash* Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Bruce Randolph Nelson* Antonio Salieri

James Joseph O’Neil* Baron van Swieten

Kevin Orton* Emperor Joseph II

Jay Russell* Venticelli

Lucia Spina* Venticelli

Natanya Washer Katherina Cavalieri

Laura Smith* Stage Manager

Lindsay Eberly* Assistant Stage Manager

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

THE ARTISTIC TEAM

Kwame Kwei-Armah Director

Timothy R. Mackabee Set Designer

David Burdick Costume Designer

Michelle Habeck Lighting Designer

Victoria Deiorio Sound Designer

Paloma McGregor Choreographer

Lewis Shaw Fight Choreographer

Gavin Witt Production Dramaturg

Francois Loup Speech Consultant

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“[Emperor] Joseph’s Vienna did not look like an imperial capital characterized by court ostentation and related ecclesiastical displays, but like a metropolis from which a vast empire was governed, where a bureaucracy with regular business hours produced an overwhelming crush of traffic every morning and evening, and where the bourgeois circles were beginning to mingle at public entertainments, and attire was no longer a reliable indication of social position.”

—Mozart in Vienna by Volkmar Braunbehrens

ITALIAN WORDS THAT YOU’LL HEAR IN THE PLAY… A vostro servizi At your serviceAmici cari Dear friendsBalletto Ballet Bene Good/OkayCapisco I understand Cattivo BadCertamente Certainly Diletto straordinario Extraordinary delight Dolci Sweet/Confectionary Evviva! Cheers!Gioia JoyGrazie Thank youMio Tesoro! My darling!Morboso MorbidNemico EnemyNervoso NervousNiente NothingPerdonami Forgive mePerfetto! Perfect!Precisamente Precisely Proibito Prohibited Restiamo in contatto Keep in touchScusate SorrySono commosso! I’m touched!Tanti ManyVeramente ingegnoso! Really ingenious! Via! Away!

…AND ALSO SOME THAT YOU CAN USE ANY DAY!Auto CarBuon compleanno! Happy Birthday!Ciao Hello AND GoodbyeCome si chiama? What is your name?Come sta? How are you?Cosi cosi So soFratello BrotherMadre MotherMi chiamo… My name is…Numero/Numeri Number/NumbersUno OneDue TwoTre ThreeQuattro FourCinque FiveSei SixSette SevenOtto EightNove NineDieci TenPadre FatherPer favore PleasePrego You’re welcomeSi/No Yes/NoSorella SisterSto bene I am wellSto male I am not wellTeatro TheaterTi amo I love youVado a casa I’m going home

BEFORE THE SHOW

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MEET THE PLAYWRIGHTPeter Shaffer and his twin brother Anthony, also a playwright, were born in Liverpool, England, in 1926. From 1944 to 1947, Shaffer worked as a conscript in a coalmine, giving him a lifelong

sympathy for hard work. Nevertheless, in 1956, with a successful television play to his credit, Shaffer defied his father’s conviction that real work demanded a ‘serious’ profession and quit to be a writer (and, briefly, a music critic).

After several radio and television dramas, his first stage play, Five Finger Exercise, debuted in London and New York in 1958—directed by John Gielgud. It won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for the best foreign play of the season. This led to a steady series of successes through the 1960s, including a commission for Laurence Olivier at the National Theatre.

Equus took the theater world by storm in 1973, and Amadeus in 1979, followed by the popular film adaptation. He wrote Lettice and Lovage in 1987 for Maggie Smith, and in 1992, won the William Inge Award for Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre.

Shaffer has won Tony Awards, an Oscar, and many other theater prizes. He was made an OBE in 1987 and knighted in 2001.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE PLAY…

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• Over his brief lifespan (35 years) Mozart composed over 600 works! To give you an idea of how much music this is, in 1990 Phillips Classics record company released a box set consisting of every Mozart composition known. The box set has 180 CDs that would take you over 200 hours to listen to.

• According to his father, Leopold, Mozart was playing the piano very well at age 4, and even began composing by the age of 5. His first piece ever written was called Andante in C, K.1a.

• Mozart’s full name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Where did the name “Amadeus” come from, though? In the Greek language, “Theophilus” means “God’s love,” which in Latin is “Amadeus,” so Mozart took his own name and translated it from Greek to Latin!

• As a party trick, Mozart would drape a piece of cloth over the keys of a piano and his hands as he would play songs for the partygoers.

• He was very short, standing at only 5 ft. 4 in. tall.

• Mozart was an avid billiards player.

• Anotnio Salieri gave music lessons to many composers that would later become famous. Among these composers were Ludwig Van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, and Franz Schubert.

• Mozart was known for being able to compose pieces of music in very little time. In fact, the overture for his opera, Don Giovanni, was written the night before the opera premiered!

• His father tutored him in many languages including English, French, Latin, Italian, as well as his native language, German.

THEATER ETIQUETTEPicture yourself at an opera in the late 1700s. You are dressed in the very best attire, seated among the wealthy and elite, ready and eager to watch a brand new Mozart masterpiece! In other words, it is a very classy evening. Now imagine that at some point in the performance, the people around you start striking up conversations, playing card games, getting up to visit their friends seated on the other side of the theater, or eating various treats. At one point, you may even witness someone throwing a leaflet from the balcony while loudly praising their favorite singer in the middle of a song. What would you do? By today’s theater etiquette guidelines, these actions seem rude and inexcusable, but during Mozart’s time it was not uncommon to see audience members behaving in such a way!

Why do you think the behavior of audiences back then differed so greatly from the audiences attending theatrical events today? One theory that sheds some light on this question has to do with the…well...lighting. Before modern lighting was introduced, theaters were lit by candles and oil lamps (meaning both the stage and audience were illuminated equally). Due to this lack of separation between actor and audience member, the lighting would subconsciously encourage people, at some times, to disregard the play and chat instead.

Nowadays, the lighting has changed dramatically. There is a clear separation between the actors and audience, which allows viewers to focus directly on any action occurring on stage. During this performance of Amadeus, we ask that you remain in a 21st century state of mind and remember some of these more modern etiquette guidelines:

Before you go inside the theater: Turn off your cell phone and any other electronic devices (iPods, Blackberries, etc.) Leave all food, drinks, and games (of both the card and board variety) outside or dispose of them before entering the theater. Spit out any gum. Visit the restroom before the performance begins.

During the performance: Try to remain still in your seats during the show. If you have to leave, exit during intermission. Do not speak during the performance. It can be very distracting to the actors on stage. Do not kick or put your feet up on the back of the chairs in front of you. Please DO laugh or respond appropriately during the performance.

Lastly, theater is communal, which means you are just as much an integral part of the show as the actors on stage. So show respect to your fellow audience members, the staff, the performers, and yourself!

*Source: http://www.vam.ac.uk/ and www.http://opera.org.au/

DID YOU KNOW?

Majesty,I am pleased to submit myself for your consideration as pianoforte instructor to the Princess Elisabeth.

Having been for some years now your majesty's Kapellmeister, and grateful servant, you know my

accomplishments and abilities well.

No doubt you recall that, while a proud Viennese today, I was born to prosperous Italian parents in

Legnano in 1750, where I was able to study music while I prepared—I believed—for life as a priest.

Despite this devotion to God, He had other plans for me.

At 15, with both my parents suddenly dead, a wealthy family friend deigned to bring me to Venice to

continue my musical training. Thence I came into the benevolent charge of your own beloved composer

and Kapellmeister, Maestro Gassman, who brought me back here to Vienna and further supported such

talent as I showed. It was he who brought me first to Church before lessons, telling me “I thought it my

duty to begin your musical education with God.”

It was surely divine grace that brought me then to your majesty’s attention, changing my life forever.

You insisted on my attendance, showing yourself a most ardent patron. Thanks to your continued grace,

and the beneficence of your court, I was able to compose my first opera at 20, with four more to follow in

the next four years. Thus, I was only 24 when, upon Maestro Gassman's sad demise, you made me your

imperial royal chamber composer and Kapellmeister to the Italian opera.

With these positions, I have been able to instruct a series of pupils, illustrious and unknown alike. I have,

I trust, proven a discreet, reliable, attentive music teacher; I trust that even your majesty has benefited in

some measure from my counsel in this capacity.

With your support, I have been able to overcome my own limitations and give glory to God as a composer

and conductor. For more than 10 years, I have labored to serve Him and your majesty, writing by your

sufferance Italian operas that have been embraced by the world. You allowed me to step in for Maestro

Gluck to compose Les Danaïdes for the Paris Opera, where even Queen Marie Antoinette enjoyed its

triumph. The two commissions that followed, Les Horaces and Tarare, I must credit to your bounty;

so too the further plaudits that have come with them.

Majesty, I have known no success, no achievement, no fortune thus far without the grace of the

Almighty and the blessing of your imperial good will. It would give me great honor to repay these in

some small measure by helping to see to the musical instruction of her highness, Princess Elisabeth.

You have but to command.

Your most humble and obedient servant,

Antonio Salieri

Antonio Salieri

IN 1781, Emperor Joseph II summoned to Vienna the 15-year-old Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg, intending to betroth her to his nephew. As part of her education, he sought a teacher to instruct her in piano and music. Among the obvious candidates for the position were Antonio Salieri—an established member of the Emperor’s court— and the young upstart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. What might Joseph have had to go on in making his decision?

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To his Imperial Majesty, Joseph II, most mighty, glorious, and exalted holy Roman Emperor. Forgive the temerity of your humble subject, wife to composer—and your devoted servant—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; I hope that your gracious Majesty will find it in your heart to overlook my audacity in writing, but rather can look with favor on the entreaties herein. You have of course known my husband and his astonishing abilities since his youth. As but a child, he composed his first opera at your request; he previously performed for the court of your mother, Empress Maria Teresa, at a mere seven. Before that, he composed his first concerto at four.Wolfgang's skills as a performer and improviser have delighted onlookers from his earliest days in his native Salzburg. From that early start, he joined his father on tours across the breadth of Europe. They dazzled courts in Paris and Munich and beyond, as well as here in Vienna. Eight years they devoted to this, your Majesty, earning little but the respect of all who heard him play.At 14, my husband received from His Holiness the Pope the Order of the Golden Spur, but few other opportunities followed. He has had many private pupils, and pleased many courtiers, but has not found a patron as musically discerning as your majesty. Eventually, and for too long, he took a position as organist for the Archbishop of Salzburg: a position of great glory to God, but of little earthly merit to one as accomplished and innovative as he. His talents as a composer you know well, from nearly 500 works: his sinfonias and concerti, his symphonies, sonatas, and divertimenti. He has achieved acclaim with operas like Idomeneo and The Abduction from the Seraglio, and more await. Illustrious and recognized maestros like Haydn and Gluck praise his work and his worth.

It was here in Vienna that we met and married; in fact, I was myself his music student before I was his wife, and can attest personally to his skills and charms as an instructor. It is now here in Vienna that we have settled in hopes that, in the enlightened home for the arts you have made, he may at last find fertile ground for his dreams—and unique abilities—as a composer. To support these dreams, I hope that your Majesty will invite my husband to instruct the Princess.With fervent hope and sincere gratitude,Constanze Mozart, née Weber

MajestyI am but recently arrived in your exalted capital from my long misery

in Salzburg. I hear of an available position, teaching piano to Princess

Elisabeth. Having been a prodigy myself from a very young age, and

having since taught many pupils, I am obviously the most competent

teacher and musician in the city—if not all of your Empire—to provide

instruction to the young princess. What other choice could there be?

Your humble servant,

�. A.�ozar�

Amadeus | 5www.centerstage.org

IN CLASS

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IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES:

IN-CLASS DISCUSSIONS:

• It has been said that Mozart could compose entire works in a very short period of time. One such story tells that he composed the entire overture of his famous opera, Don Giovanni, the night before the show premiered! This activity can be done individually or as a group. Grab an instrument or instruments and set a timer for 5-10 minutes. Try and compose a short piece of music in this time span and then perform it for the class.

• Mozart loved wordplay. He would often play around with his own name, coming up with different spellings and variations. Grab a piece of paper and a pen and play around with your name. Try writing it backwards and say it out loud. How does it sound? Look at the letters in your name and see how many words you can make out of them. Using your real name, words you made out of your name, the backwards spelling, and any other tactics that come to mind, see if you can compose some new nicknames for yourself!

• Amadeus is a piece of historical fiction, meaning it consists of actual settings with some people who really existed, but the majority of the story or situations are fictionalized or extremely embellished. For this activity, grab a piece

of paper and a pen or pencil. Think of a famous moment in history that stands out to you. Write a monologue or diary entry that takes place in this specific time. Are you writing this piece as yourself or as another person? Think specifically about where you are as well. What city/state are you in? What season is it? How old are you/is your character? Who is around you? What time of day is it? Once you are finished, share your monologue or diary entry with a friend or the class!

• Mozart had a keen ear for music. In fact, he was able to listen to a song one time and then write it down perfectly, note for note! How fine-tuned are your listening and memory skills? Let’s find out through a game of “Telephone!” If you aren’t familiar with this game, the rules are quite simple. Have everyone sit in a circle and pick one member of the group to think of a phrase or saying. This person will whisper the message into the ear of the person next to them, then that person will whisper what they think the saying is to the person sitting next to them. The game continues like this around the circle. The last member of the group to receive the message says it out loud. How much has the saying changed? Did it make its way around the group unchanged?

• Think about Mozart’s extraordinary level of success and talent (especially from an early age), and the eventual downfall of his career. How does his life compare to some of today’s musicians? How does it differ? Why do you think fame can have such a negative effect on people?

• After viewing this play, think about whether Salieri is a sympathetic character or heartless villain. Is it possible for a person to be both? Consider the role that jealously and power plays in both your own life and in the world of Amadeus.

• While watching this production, notice that certain costume pieces have bolder-than-usual colors and patterns. Consider the significance of this artistic choice, and who is wearing said costumes. Do the colors and/or patterns symbolize anything?

• While most of the characters and settings in Amadeus were real, many of the situations presented are fictionalized, meaning Peter Shaffer’s play is a piece of historical fiction. Why do you think pieces of historical fiction are so popular with readers, theatergoers, and film enthusiasts? What are some other popular works of historical fiction? How do these other pieces of historical fiction compare or differ from the historical realities? Do you think historical fiction impairs or enhances our understanding of the past?

• Amadeus is told mostly through flashbacks, all from Salieri’s memory. In what ways does having a single character’s point of view benefit the plot? Does it weaken the plot in any way? How would the story and characters have differed if it was told through someone else’s eyes?

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COMPOSERS LACKIN’ COMPOSURE: RIVALRIES IN THE AGE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

If you know anything about the world of music, you know that it is full of feuding artists! Whether these rivalries are expressed live on stage or through individual tracks on various albums, the idea of musicians clashing is a concept that keeps fans and listeners on their toes as they listen to their favorite artists. Some of the most famous occurrences of musicians disputing include, but are certainly not limited to Notorious B.I.G. vs. Tupac, Paul McCartney vs. John Lennon, Dave Grohl vs. Courtney Love, and Jay-Z vs. Nas. But did you know that the presence of musical rivalries is not something new? They’ve been going on for centuries! In fact, during the classical music era (give or take a few years), there were dozens of rather intense rivalries throughout the music world.

One rivalry that gained an immense amount of coverage was between that of conservative composer Johannes Brahms and liberal composer Richard Wagner. Brahms was known for being a traditionalist who saw no reason to mess with the style of music that had brought joy to so many people. In other words, Brahms’ motto was, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” However, Wagner thought differently. In his mind, music was meant to be experimented with and it was the perfect time to make some changes. When both composers got wind of each other’s ideas, rivalry ensued. Along with insulting each other through their compositions, Brahms actually paired up with his friend and fellow composer, Joseph Joachim to write and publish a manifesto against Wagner’s new musical styling. #classicaldiss

Another famous rivalry was that between Beethoven and Joseph Gelinek. The two did not start out hating each other, though. They were actually quite good friends. Gelinek even took on the task of editing a few of Beethoven’s works and composing variations of his 7th Symphony’s second movement. As years passed, however, their friendship diminished and an intense rivalry was formed. Gelinek not only grew apathetic towards Beethoven’s later work, but began to form a huge ego. One story that shows this ego forming recounts a piano duel in which the two participated. Gelinek was asked if he could beat Beethoven in a piano playing competition. To that question, Gelinek replied, “I’ll make mincemeat of him!” The

composers agreed to duel it out. During the first round, the two played their most complicated pieces, but by the third round, when the improvised piano playing began, Gelinek could not keep up with Beethoven, and walked out of the room, thus declaring Beethoven the champion.

This article would be remiss, though, if the almost myth-like rivalry between Mozart and Salieri was not discussed in some detail. Although Peter Shaffer’s play makes this seem like a rivalry of epic proportions, how much of it is factual? When Mozart arrived in Vienna, he felt that the world of Italian composers was very cliquey, and that they were taking all of the jobs, especially one composer by the name of Antonio Salieri (essentially the Regina George of Vienna). Tensions rose between the two composers when they both sought after a position as a piano teacher for Princess Elisabeth von Württemberg. In the end, Salieri was chosen as the instructor, and Mozart was devastated. Over time, though, the two became friendly and actually composed many works together. Mozart and Salieri would compete in friendly musical competitions (including a famous opera-writing competition at Schönbrunn Palace) from time to time, but none that would’ve caused an intense hatred between them.

So how did the rumor that Salieri poisoned Mozart come to be? The short version of that story goes a little like this: towards the end of his life, Mozart was very sick and even mentioned to his wife that he may have been poisoned, but she never believed it. The rumor strengthened in the early 1800s when a hospitalized Salieri confessed to the poisoning of the late composer; however, it should be noted that Salieri was suffering from pretty a severe case of dementia that left him saying nonsensical things. In the last months of his life, he even retracted the ludicrous claim he had made.

As long as music exists, it seems that rivalries between musicians will too. What is it that makes tensions so high in this field of work? What makes the fights between these celebrities so intriguing to the public? From Mozart and Salieri to Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey, the music world and the rivalries that ensue have always and will always be keeping fans captivated.

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FREEMASONRY: FACT VS. FICTION

Long before the movie National Treasure and the book The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, the Freemasons had been the subject of legends and great intrigue to many people. Due to their somewhat secretive nature, the Masons have a long and rich history of being associated with conspiracies and other rumors. But who are these people and what is this organization that Mozart was a part of really all about?

It is not known for sure as to what year the Freemasons were formed, but the first mention of the group was found in a document from 1390. The history of the Masons remains a bit foggy until the early

ALSO CHECK OUT…Watch:

Amadeus (1984)In Search of Mozart (2007)

Web:Watch and listen to The Magic Flute by Mozart:

http://bit.ly/1y8n6YXTake a look at and hear how Mozart’s very own piano sounds!:

http://abcn.ws/1uEbubeTake a listen to Mozart’s first composition that he wrote at the age of 5:

http://bit.ly/1qRSHZuWatch and listen to Les Danaïdes by Salieri:

http://bit.ly/1BGXYqjWhat classical composer are you? Take the quiz and find out!

http://bit.ly/1nYjqPG

Visit:The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

Read:Equus by Peter Shaffer Mozart in Vienna 1781-1791 by Volkmar Braunbehrens

1700s. Around this time, a few Masonic lodges merged to form the Grand Lodge of England and the record-keeping became more organized. As years passed, the organization’s popularity grew and Masonic lodges began popping up all over Europe and the United States. Today, there are over four million members of the Freemasons!

So what exactly are these Mason guys up to? Are the rumors surrounding this secretive organization true? Do they really have classified messages hidden in everyday objects, ties to aliens and satanic rituals, and did they hide a treasure trove somewhere beneath an old church that only Nicolas Cage could find by using clues found in famous historical cities and documents? While the last part would be pretty incredible, the answer to these questions is no. The ceremonies (e.g., initiations) that take place in the lodges are secretive, but the general meetings usually consist of discussions of local affairs, charity work, voting on new members, events that the group could take part in, and usually ends with free discussion. In Mozart’s time (the Age of Enlightenment), he and his fellow masons would probably talk about science, the arts, and other cultural advancements in society. Talk of religion and politics, though, was and still is either highly discouraged or banned from the meetings.

To learn a little more about the history and inner working of the Freemasons, we highly recommend visiting www.cbsnews.com/news/inside-the-secret-world-of-the-freemasons or www.msana.com

AAdagio- a composition written in a slow tempo.

Aria- in opera, an elaborate solo.

Arpeggio- a chord in which the individual notes are sounded one after the other instead of simultaneously.

CCassation- referred to in the play by its Italian term, “cassazione.” Term used by classical composers for instrumental compositions resembling a serenade or divertimento.

Chamberlain- an officer in the household of a king or nobleman.

DDivertimento- common in the Classical Era, a lighthearted musical composition that was often played at social gatherings and performed by a small chamber ensemble.

Divisi- a directive in ensemble music that instructs one section of instruments to divide into two or more separate sections, each performing a separate part.

FFortepiano- the predecessor to the piano we know today.

Freemason- a member of an international order established for mutual help and fellowship, which holds elaborate and secret ceremonies.

KKapellmeister- the director of music. German in origin.

Kyrie Eleison- the brief petition, “Lord, have mercy,” used in the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church.

LLegnago- a small town in Verona, Italy. Birthplace of Antonio Salieri.

Litany- a prayer by a religious leader consisting of chants and invocations followed by similar responses from a congregation.

Lombardy- a northern region of Italy.

PPrater- a large public park in Vienna.

RRequiem- a composition written to honor the dead.

SSalzburg- a city in north-central Austria. Birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Seraglio- the part of a Muslim house or palace in which the wives and concubines are secluded.

Sonata- a composition for one or two instruments, typically in three or four movements in contrasted forms and keys.

Soprano- the highest singing voice in women and boys.

*Sources: Dictionary.com and OnMusic Dictionary

GLOSSARY

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CONTRIBUTORS:Editor- Andrew StromyerGraphic Designer- Katherine Marmion Gavin WittMaggie Beetz

SPECIAL THANKS TO:Rosiland CauthenKristina SzilagyiJoshua ThomasCatherine María RodríguezCenter Stage Costume Department