Amadeus

She's not coming back, you know. She's gone for good. I did it

and I'm proud of it. 襆eave, I said. 襌ight away! Take he child

and go, just go. Here's the money! Go to the Spa and get your

health back - that's if you can. I was shocked. Shocked to my

foundation. Is that my girl? Can that be my Stanzi? The happy

little moppet I brought up, that poor trembling thing? Oh, you

monster! No one exists but you, do they? You and your music!

Do you know how often she's sat in that very chair, weeping her

eyes out of her head because of you? I warned her. 褻hoose a

man, not a baby, I said. But would she listen? Who listens?

襀e's just a silly boy, she says. Silly, my arse. Selfish - that's all

you are. Selfish! Selfish, selfish, selfish, selfish, selfish.

And with a scream Madame Weber's voice turns into the shrill packing coloratura

of the second act aria of the Queen of the Night, in The Magic Flute.

DISSOLVE TO:

152 INT. SCHIKANEDER'S THEATRE - NIGHT - 1790's 152

On stage we see the QUEEN OF THE NIGHT fantastically costumed, furiously

urging her daughter to kill Sarastro. As she sings, we see the interior of the theatre,

now re-arranged from when we last visited it to watch the Cabaret. An audience of

ordinary German citizens stands in the pit area, or sits: they are rapt and excited.

The theatre also possesses boxes; some of these show closed curtains - their inhabi-

tants presumably engaged in private intimacies. In one of them sits Salieri.

QUEEN OF THE NIGHT

(singing furiously)

A hellish wrath within my heart is seething!

Death and destruction

Flame around my throne!

If not by thee

Sarastro's light be extinguished.

Then be thou mine own daughter never more!

Rejected be forever!

So sundered be forever

All the bonds of kin and blood!

Hear! Hear! Hear God of Vengeance!

Hear thy Mother's vow!

Thunder and lightning. She disappears amidst tremendous applause from the

audience.

CUT TO:

153 EXT. OUTSIDE THE THEATRE - NIGHT - 1790's 153

On the poster for The Magic Flute, the name Emmanuel Schikaneder should ap-

pear very, very large and the name of Mozart quite small:

I. & R. priv. Weiden Theatre

The Actors of the Imperial and Royal privileged Theatre of the Weiden

have the honour to perform

THE MAGIC FLUTE

A Grand Opera in Two Acts by Emmanuel Schikaneder

(The Cast List)

The music is by Herr Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Herr Mozart out of respect for a

gracious and honourable Public, and from friendship for the author of this piece,

will today direct the orchestra in person.

The book of the opera, furnished with two copperplates, of which is engraved Herr

Schikaneder in the costume he wears for the role of Papageno, may be had at the box

office for 30 kr.

Prices of admission are as usual

To begin at 7 o'clock

154 INT. STAGE, AUDITORIUM AND WINGS OF SCHIKANEDER'S 154

THEATRE - NIGHT -1790's

We CUT TO the scene immediately before Papageno's song, Ein Madchen oder

Weibchen. Papageno, played by Schikaneder, dressed in his costume of feathers, is

trying to get through a mysterious door. A voice calls from within.

VOICE

Go back!

Papageno recoils.

PAPAGENO

Merciful Gods! If only I knew by which door I came in. (to audi-

ence) Which was it? Was it this one? Come on, tell me!

VOICE

Go back!

Papageno recoils.

PAPAGENO

Now, I can't go forward and I can't go back. Oh, this is awful!

He weeps extravagantly.

In the pit, Mozart indicates to the first violinist to take over as conductor. He slips

from his place and goes stealthily backstage. We follow him. Over the scene we

hear Papageno being addressed by 襱he First Priest in stern tones.

FIRST PRIEST

(on stage)

Man, thou hast deserved to wander forever in the darkest chasms

of the earth. The gentle Gods have remitted thy punishment, but

yet thou shalt never feel the Divine Content of the consecrated

ones.

PAPAGENO

Oh well, I'm not alone in that. Just give me a decent glass of

wine - that's divine content enough for me.

Laughter. An enormous goblet of wine appears out of the earth.

We follow Mozart into the wings. Actors and actresses stand around in fantastic

costumes. We see a flying chariot and parts of a huge snake lying about. Also the

scenery door of a temple with the word 襑isdom inscribed on the pediment.

Mozart walks to where there stands a keyboard glockenspiel with several manuals,

and a musician waiting to play it. Silently Mozart indicates that he wishes to play

the instrument himself.

On stage Schikaneder is being addressed haughtily by the First Priest.

FIRST PRIEST

Man, hast thou no other desire on earth, but just to eat and drink?

PAPAGENO

(Schikaneder)

Well!

Laughter from the audience.

PAPAGENO

Well, actually I do have a rather weird feeling in my heart.

Perhaps it's just indigestion. But you know, I really would like -

I really do want - something even nicer than food and drink.

Now what on earth could that be?

He stares at the audience and winks at them. They laugh.

Now Papageno's aria (Ein Madchen oder Weibchen) begins. It is interpolated, as he

pretends to play his magic bells, with the glockenspiel actually being played off-

stage by Mozart. Schikaneder looks into the pit and does not see Mozart conduct-

ing. He looks into the wings and realizes the situation with amusement. He sings

joyfully and the audience watches entranced.

PAPAGENO

(singing, lightly)

ANDANTE

A sweetheart or a pretty little wife is Papageno's wish.

A willing, billing, lovey dovey

Would be

My most tasty little dish.

Be my most tasty little dish!

Be my most tasty little dish!

ALLEGRO

Then that would be eating and drinking

I'd live like a Prince without thinking.

The wisdom of old would be mine -

A woman's much better than wine!

Then that would be eating and drinking!

The wisdom of old would be mine -

A woman's much better than wine.

She's much better than wine!

She's much better than wine!

ANDANTE

(encore, lightly, as before)

A sweetheart or a pretty little wife is Papageno's wish.

A willing, billing, lovey dovey

Would be

My most tasty little dish.

ALLEGRO

I need to net one birdie only

And I will stop feeling so lonely.

But if she won't fly to my aid,

Then into a ghost I must fade.

I need to net one birdie only

But if she won't fly to my aid,

Then into a ghost I must fade.

To a ghost I must fade!

To a ghost I must fade!

ANDANTE

(encore)

A sweetheart or a pretty little wife is Papageno's wish.

A willing, billing, lovey dovey

Would be

My most tasty little dish.

ALLEGRO

At present the girls only peck me.

Their cruelty surely will wreck me.

But one little beak in my own,

And I'll up to heaven be flown!

At present the girls only peck me.

But one little beak in my own,

And I'll up to heaven be flown.

Up to heaven be flown!

Up to heaven be flown!

At certain moments we see the stage from Salieri's point of view: Schikaneder

singing, then pretending to play; and then we see Mozart playing the glockenspiel

with great flourishes in the wings. Then, suddenly, the actor mimes playing, and

no sound comes. He mimes again, but still nothing comes. He looks offstage in

anxiety; there is evidently some commotion. People are looking down on the

floor. The song comes to a near-halt. Schikaneder stares. Then the comedian sig-

nals to the deputy conductor to pick up the song and finish it. At this moment

Salieri gets up and hastily leaves his box.

CUT TO:

155 INT. WINGS OF SCHIKANEDER'S THEATRE - NIGHT - 1790's 155

We see the actress playing Papagena, wearing an old tattered cloak and about to tie

a little painted cloth representing a hideous old woman over her face. She is look-

ing worriedly down at Mozart, who is lying unconscious on the floor. A few peo-

ple around him are trying to revive him. One has put a wet handkerchief around

his temples. Another is holding a small bottle of smelling salts. There are voices

saying, 褼octor! Take him to a dressing room. Someone call a carriage. Take

him home. etc. Papagena is urged to go on stage by a distracted stage manager.

Suddenly we hear the voice of Salieri.

SALIERI

I'll take care of him.

He steps forward.

SALIERI

I have a carriage. Excuse me.

The actors step back respectfully. He stoops and picks up the frail composer in his

arms. Mozart is quite limp and Salieri has to fling his arms around his own neck.

All this is watched nervously by Schikaneder on stage whilst performing his scene

with Papagena as an ugly old woman.

UGLY OLD WOMAN

Here I am, my angel.

PAPAGENO

(appalled)

What? Who the devil are you?

UGLY OLD WOMAN

I've taken pity on you, my angel. I heard your wish.

PAPAGENO

Oh. Well, thank you! How wonderful. Some people get all the

luck.

Audience laughter. The actress raises the little painted cloth with the ugly old face

on it to show her own pretty young one to the audience. More laughter.

UGLY OLD WOMAN

Now you've got to promise me faithfully you'll remain true to me

forever. Then you'll see how tenderly your little birdie will love

you.

PAPAGENO

(nervous)

I can't wait.

UGLY OLD WOMAN

Well, promise then.

PAPAGENO

What do you mean - now?

UGLY OLD WOMAN

Of course now. Right away, before I get any older.

Laughter.

PAPAGENO

Well, I don't know! I mean you're a delicious, delightful,

delectable little bird, but don't you think you might be just a lit-

tle tough?

UGLY OLD WOMAN

(amorously)

Oh, I'm tender enough for you, my boy. I'm tender enough for

you.

Laughter.

156 EXT. SCHIKANEDER'S THEATRE - NIGHT - 1790's 156

A waiting sedan chair. Mozart has recovered consciousness, but looks exceedingly

ill. Salieri has set him down in the winter's night. Snow is falling.

MOZART

What happened? Is it over?

SALIERI

I'm taking you home. You're not well.

MOZART

No, no. I have to get back. I have -

He starts to collapse again. Salieri helps him into the sedan. The door is shut. The

chair sets off and Salieri strides beside it, through the mean street. A lantern with a

candle swings from the chair.

157 INT. MOZART'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - 1790's 157

The door opens. Salieri enters carrying the lantern from the sedan chair. He is

followed by Mozart, carried in the arms of one of the porters. The room is now

really in complete disarray. The table is piled high with music: the pages of the

Requiem lie amongst many empty wine bottles. The porter carries Mozart into

158 INT. MOZART'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1790's 158

This room is miserably neglected. The bed is unmade, clothes lie about on the

floor. A sock has been stuck into the broken pane of one window. The porter lays

Mozart down on the bed as Salieri lights candles from the lantern to reveal plates

of half-eaten food and other signs left by a man whose wife has departed. It is ob-

viously very cold. Another very small bed nearby belongs to the child, Karl.

SALIERI

(handing the porter the lantern)

Thank you. Go.

The porter leaves the room. Mozart stirs.

MOZART

(vaguely singing)

Papa! Papa!

He opens his eyes and sees Salieri staring down at him. He smiles.

SALIERI

Come now.

He helps him to sit up and takes off his coat and his shoes and puts a coverlet

around him.

SALIERI

Where is your wife?

MOZART

Not here! She's not well, either. She went to the Spa.

SALIERI

You mean she's not coming back?

MOZART