Amadeus analysis

The scene begins as the opera does, from a point of view shot of the audience as they watch on behind Amadeus Mozart as he composes the orchestra; as if we are in the audience and placed within this time period. The clothing used, involving wigs and various corsets, is very much suggestive of the time period we’ve been engaged in. Low-key lighting is used on the character of Salieri, as he watches from the booth above, suggests some sort of dark intent or jealousy of Mozart below. He is alone in this booth, connoting his loner status among everyone in the theatre. On the other hand, Mozart is well lit to suggest to the audience that he is a good person and maybe even the character we should sympathise with and relate to. As this is from Salieri’s memory, we should also imagine that this is how he views Mozart in hindsight at an older age.

The framing of Mozart in this scene presents him as the centre of attention, even from the audience’s perspective. This symbolises his main role in the story but also to Salieri; who, again, views Mozart as a gift from God to the Earth. The music of his opera, The Marriage of Figaro, plays over the scene as prominent members of the audience are shown cautious and unimpressed by this production. They look at each other through knowing glances between people, communicating their indifference towards this piece. This also adds pressure for Mozart, as the audience is constantly judging him when he cannot turn around to and see them.

The camera slowly tracks towards Salieri, closing in on him as he describes the composer as (via narration) ‘a vessel of God’. He is becoming insignificant, irrelevant and trapped by his own criticism. He truly believes that he cannot work again while Mozart still exists. As the music devolves to a lower tempo, the King, signified by his sash and impressive clothing, yawns as he’s unimpressed by the performance to the dismay of the two audience members beside him. He is important to the audience.