tones
compulsive cantater
I was fossicking in the DVD rental place across the road from Zürich station, looking for something to watch on the train home, when I came across this, and realised that, even though it's 20 years old, I had seen only fragments on the TV. So I borrowed it - and was knocked out.
OK, it's not historical (there is little evidence of rivalry between Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Mozart and none whatsoever that Salieri had a hand in his death), but if one accepts Peter Schaffer's play and sceeenplay as it is, it works wonderfully well. F. Murray Abraham thoroughly deserved that Oscar for Best Actor as the sneaky, wily, underhand Salieri, who is grossly offended that God should have lavished all His musical bounty not on the devout, sober Salieri, but on the loud, brash, potty-mouthed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and who sets out to correct God's error by destroying Mozart.
However, all the minor parts are beautifully played, the Emperor Josef II being particularly good, with his slightly not-quite-at-the match expression. Mind you, hard to beat for expression was the Cardinal of Salzburg, who habitually looked as if he'd ingested an entire forest of lemons. To my eyes and ears, even the American-accented parts of Wolfgang and Constanza Mozart worked well, helping to set off the brash, loud, younger generation against the sober, strait-laced older generation, as typified by father Leopold Mozart.
And then there's the music. Played by Nev and the ASMF, no less, Brilliant. Mozart's greatest (operatic) hits - bits of "Seraglio", "Le nozze di Figaro", "Don Giovanni" and "The Magic Flute" (the last-named the stunning Queen of the Night aria). And at the end, the Requiem.
I am sorely tempted to acquire.
OK, it's not historical (there is little evidence of rivalry between Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Mozart and none whatsoever that Salieri had a hand in his death), but if one accepts Peter Schaffer's play and sceeenplay as it is, it works wonderfully well. F. Murray Abraham thoroughly deserved that Oscar for Best Actor as the sneaky, wily, underhand Salieri, who is grossly offended that God should have lavished all His musical bounty not on the devout, sober Salieri, but on the loud, brash, potty-mouthed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and who sets out to correct God's error by destroying Mozart.
However, all the minor parts are beautifully played, the Emperor Josef II being particularly good, with his slightly not-quite-at-the match expression. Mind you, hard to beat for expression was the Cardinal of Salzburg, who habitually looked as if he'd ingested an entire forest of lemons. To my eyes and ears, even the American-accented parts of Wolfgang and Constanza Mozart worked well, helping to set off the brash, loud, younger generation against the sober, strait-laced older generation, as typified by father Leopold Mozart.
And then there's the music. Played by Nev and the ASMF, no less, Brilliant. Mozart's greatest (operatic) hits - bits of "Seraglio", "Le nozze di Figaro", "Don Giovanni" and "The Magic Flute" (the last-named the stunning Queen of the Night aria). And at the end, the Requiem.
I am sorely tempted to acquire.
. surprisingly, my kids, who are hardened to all sorts of gore and schlock, are still scared witless by the scenes with the masked man.
