Amadeus Resource Guide

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Pittsburgh Public Theater

Education and Outreach

Education Resource Guide

2008



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Table of Contents:

Page

Character Biographies:

Mozart 3

Salieri 4

Synopsis 5

Cast of Characters 7

About the Author 8 Amadeus Production History 10

About our Production:

Actor Biographies 11

Themes to Explore:

Art and Religion 12

Musical Memories 14

Secret Societies 16Glossary 18

After the Show Questions 19

References 19

Academic Standards 20



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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: A Premature Talent and an Untimely End

There are few musical figures in history that can rival

the genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His legacy

as a child prodigy has lived on for centuries, coloredby accounts of his concerts for royalty and grand Euro-

pean tours. Mozart’s remarkable story begins a bit ear-

lier than the controversial (and embellished) adult

years featured in Amadeus. Born on January 27th

1756, Mozart’s inherent talent was first noticed at age

four, when he began to mimic his older sister’s compo-

sitions. Just two years later, Mozart was composing

short pieces on the clavier, excelling at the violin and

gearing up for his first tour!

Mozart’s father, Leopold, educated the child prodigy and his older sister Maria-

Anna. The young boy’s precocious talent brought much attention from the aristoc-

racy during his first tour. The family, without Mozart’s mother, visited major Euro-

pean cities, such as Paris, Munich and Vienna. The tour was difficult for them;

young Mozart missed his mother, the pay was trifling and both children fell seriously

ill. Together they spent eight years on the road continually stunning audiences. To-

ward the end, the focus of his performances had shifted from the talents of a brilliant

child to his skill as a pianist and composer.

Surprisingly, Mozart’s early success did not pave the way for an easy career in music,

as many would assume. He had trouble obtaining a court appointment, and thus be-gan his adult career by playing the organ in Salzburg. Unhappy with his position

there, Mozart moved permanently to Vienna where he hoped to find better opportu-

nities as a musician. It was there that he met the woman who would become his wife,

Constanze. Though always composing, Mozart struggled, made more difficult with

the additional stress of a growing family. Despite his seemingly impressive resume,

Mozart could not find a wealthy patron to back his works so he relied on teaching

and giving concerts. To relieve his financial woes, he hoped for a court appointment

that never came. Mozart composed new works regularly until his death in 1791.

When Mozart died at just 35 years old, rumors swirled that Salieri, his chief rival,

had poisoned him, prompting the story behind Amadeus. Medical records suggestthat his untimely death was probably due to an illness such as rheumatic fever. In his

lifetime, Mozart completed an incredible canon of musical pieces, including 21 stage

and opera works, 15 masses, 25 piano sonatas, 26 string quartets, and more than 50

symphonies. In total, the prolific composer is credited with creating about 600

works.



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Antonio Salieri: Rediscovering a Near-

Forgotten Talent

By: Philip Stephenson

After many decades spent languishing in

near-anonymity, Salieri is once again a house-

hold name, thanks to Shaffer’s powerful

drama. However, that has meant that for over

20 years, most of what the public has come to

“know” about this great composer has been

gleaned from a work of fiction. But there is a

great deal truly worth learning about Antonio

Salieri, and realizing that he did not poison

Mozart is just the beginning.

Salieri was born in Legnano, Italy in 1750, into a prosperous family. He and

his older brother Francesco both studied music. When he was very young,

Salieri so loved the sound of music that he followed his brother to a perform-

ance several towns away, alarming his father so much by his absence that he

promised young Antonio if he ever did something like it again, he would lock

him in his room for a week with nothing but bread and water to eat.

Between 1763 and 1765 both his mother and father passed away. After a

short stay with a brother in Padua, a friend of his late father and Venetian no-bleman Giovanna Mocenigo, took Salieri along with him to Venice. In Vi-

enna, to begin with, he continued his education. Gassman saw it as his divine

duty to provide for the education of the young talent. In time, the Emperor

Joseph II heard of Gassman’s charge and asked to meet him. When Salieri

played for the Emperor, he was so impressed that he requested that Gass-

man bring Salieri along each and every time he came to visit. It was Salieri’s

first big break and Joseph II’s patronage would be key to Salieri’s career.

In 1774, when Gassman died, the emperor promoted Salieri to imperial

royal chamber composer and Kapellmeister to the Italian opera. The next

year Salieri met his soon-to-be wife, Therese von Helfersdorfer. Salieri was

appointed Court Kapellmeister in Vienna in 1788. He continued to compose

for the stage until 1804, his last major success being Palmira, Queen of Per-

sia in 1795. After falling ill in 1824, he died the next year at the age of 74.



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The year is 1823. Rumors spread through the streets of Vienna that composer Antonia

Salieri, in his old age, claims he assassinated Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 32 years ago. Sa-

lieri addresses the audience, telling of a bargain he made with God long ago: to live a vir-

tuous life in exchange for fame as a composer. As Salieri’s prayers begin to be answered,

Mozart, the child prodigy, began to tour Europe.

The scene now shifts to 1781. Salieri is a successful composer in the Hapsburg court un-

der Emperor Joseph II. Salieri introduces us to the arbiters of taste in the Hapsberg

Court: Count von Strack, royal chamberlain; Count Orsini-Rosenberg, director of the Im-perial Opera; and Baron von Sweiten, prefect of the Imperial Library. Sweiten offers to

initiate Salieri into the Freemasons Lodge, the most influential club in Vienna. He ac-

cepts, and he learns from his ‘Venticelli,’ two men the composer employs to keep him

abreast of news ad rumors, that Mozart, now a young man, has come to Vienna to live. At

a reception soon after, Salieri silently observes Mozart playing flirtatiously, then proposing

marriage to a young woman, Constanze. He has been invited to play in the fashionable

Salon, as was the custom. As Salieri listens, he is awestruck by Mozart’s talent, but assures

himself this composition is merely the luck of a young composer. Yet when Mozart comes

to court to accept a commission for a comic opera, he easily finds the flaws in Salieri’s

“Welcome March” and instantly transforms it into a far superior composition. It is then

that Salieri realizes this Mozart is no fluke.

Mozart has cast Katherina Cavalieri, Salieri’s star pupil, in his comic opera. Salieri’s jeal-

ousy turns to hatred at the thought that Mozart has made love to Katherina, a temptation

he has resisted himself for the sake of his vow of purity. Out of revenge, Salieri entertains

thoughts of seducing Constanze, now Mozart’s wife. Salieri learns that Mozart is in need

of work and wants the position of music instructor to Princess Elizabeth. Salieri offers to

recommend Mozart for the instructor’s position, then invites Constanze to visit him later

at his apartment with some of Mozart’s scores, where he unsuccessfully tries to seduce her

in exchange for the recommendation. After she leaves, Salieri examines the scores and is

convinced that Mozart is truly a genius, capable of writing flawless music without need of

corrections. Enraged by the revelation that Mozart – a rude, raucous child – has been in-

discriminately bestowed with the musical genius he has craved since childhood, Salieri de-

clares a private war against God. He vows to seek revenge against God by destroying Mo-

zart, whom God has favored.

Amadeus Plot Synopsis

Setting: Vienna, Austria. November, 1823, and in recall, the decade 1781-1791

ACT I



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ACT II

Constanze returns to Salieri prepared to give in to his demands so that Mozart may secure

the commission, but Salieri is no longer interested in taking revenge through Constanze.Instead he forsakes his vow of purity to God altogether and takes Katherina as a mistress.

Citing Mozart’s reputation as a womanizer as dangerous for a candidate, Salieri recom-

mends another man for the instructor’s position. Over the years, Salieri’s reputation as a

composer continues to grow, while Mozart’s does not and he sinks into poverty. Mozart

prepares a new opera for the court (The Marriage of Figaro ) but Rosenberg and Salieri

scheme against it, based on a decree of Joseph II that prevents dancing in operas. King

Joseph makes an unusual appearance at a rehearsal and demands the dancing be re-

stored, but Mozart is disappointed by the cool reaction of the court when the opera is pre-

sented. Salieri ensures that the opera will not be revived. Pretending to be a friend, Salieri

sympathizes with Mozart’s financial straits and comforts him after his father’s death. The

brilliance of Mozart’s compositions continues to frustrate Salieri, and he vows to ruin Mo-zart financially, believing that doing so will stop God’s creation. Even when Joseph II

grants Mozart the chamber composer’s position, Salieri sees to it that the salary is reduced

to virtually nothing, leaving Mozart to beg for income from his fellow Freemasons. Salieri

takes aim at that income too, suggesting Mozart write an opera about the secret society of

the Freemasons. Mozart agrees, and as he writes, he has visions of a man in gray beckon-

ing to him to come closer. As his obsession to write and his fear of the visions grows to ex-

cess, Constanze leaves him, taking their two young boys with her. When the new opera

opens in a rural music hall, van Sweiten condemns it – and Mozart - as traitorous to the

Freemasons, leaving the composer devastated and penniless and seemingly on the brink

of madness. In a momentary pang of remorse, Salieri confesses to Mozart that he has

metaphorically poisoned him. Mozart refuses to believe him and will not give Salieri the

forgiveness or understanding he now desires. Constanze returns to her husband to find

him devastated by Salieri’s deeds, as he dies in her arms.

The time now returns to 1823, Mozart’s genius has found popularity since his death, and

Salieri has fallen out of favor. If he will not die in musical triumph, he wants to be remem-

bered as a great villain. But no one believes the old man’s stories of murdering Mozart,

and he dies as a saint to frustrated mediocrity.

Courtesy of Stage Notes, A Camp Broadway LLC Production



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Characters in

madeus

Antonio Salieri – successful musician to the court of Joseph II,

Emperor of Austria

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – A musical prodigy

Costanze Weber – Mozart’s wife

Joseph II – Emperor of Austria, brother of Maria Antoinette

Count Johann Kilian Von Strack – Groom of the ImperialChamber

Count Franz Orsini-Rosenberg – Director of the Imperial Opera

Baron Gottfried Van Swieten – Prefect of the Imperial Library;

member of the Freemasons

Two “Venticelli” – “Little Winds,” two purveyors of information,

gossip and rumor

Major Domo

Salieri’s Cook

Salieri’s Valet

Kapellmeister Guiseppe Bonno

Teresa Salieri

Katherina Cavalieri

Servants

Citizens

Courtesy of Stage Notes, a Camp Broadway LLC Production



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Peter Shaffer: From the Desk of the Playwright

From an interview by Mike Wood for the William Inge Center

for the Arts

Compiled and edited by Philip Stephenson

Sir Peter Shaffer was born in 1926, in Liverpool, England, along

with his twin brother, Anthony, who would also become an ac-

claimed playwright. Shaffer received a scholarship to study his-

tory at Cambridge University, and worked a variety of jobs over

the ensuing years. He worked as a conscripted coal miner dur-

ing WWII, later as a bookstore clerk, and then as a librarian’s assistant at the New York

Public Library, before discovering his dramatic talents.

Shaffer’s canon is unique, mixing philosophical dramas and satirical comedies. The Royal

Hunt of the Sun (1964) follows the Spanish conquest of the Peruvian lands while BlackComedy (1965) is a comedic romp which places his characters in a pitch black room, feel-

ing their way around – though brilliantly lit to the eyes of the audience. Equus (1973) won

Shaffer the 1975 Tony award for best play as well as the New York Drama Critics Circle

Award.

Here, in the author’s own words, is some insight into the mind that brings us Amadeus.

On Wanting to Become a Playwright:

And in fact, I think one of the best guides to telling you who you are, and I think children

use it all the time for this purpose, is fantasy. I mean, you know, all your wishes could begranted, what would you like to be? Here I am now a celebrated doctor. What a won-

derful idea. Okay, that gives you some idea that you want to go into medicine, and I

think—I suppose I had, I can’t quite remember whether I had, fantasies about being a

working playwright, but I probably did. I think I did have fantasies about being an ac-

tor. In fact, I know I did. And in the coal mines, to while away the infinite tedium of

pulling trucks of coal about, I would select, in my head, a play of Shakespeare, and play

the entire role through the entire shift, in my head. I’d do that quite regularly. And, I

now realize that I probably knew by heart, with many, probably, mistakes, if called upon

to do it, the leading roles, particularly the tragic roles of, say, Hamlet, Othello, Lear, Mac-

beth , and would play them quite regularly, in my own head, throughout the shifts in the

coal mine. In reality I would have made a very bad actor. I can’t tell the same story twicein the same way without wanting to vary it and alter it, and I don’t think I could have any

kind of technical fixatives to make me reproduce the same performance, twice running.

(Continued on following pages.)



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On Inspiration for Amadeus:

Well, the genesis of Amadeus was, I suppose, a long-felt desire to celebrate Mozart in me, but the

play actually is not about Mozart, fundamentally. It is about Salieri.

It is about the nature of a man’s sense of injustice, and to me the crucial things in the play of Ama- deus occur after Mozart’s death, after his death, to some extent, when Salieri, who has been tor-

menting Mozart throughout the length of the play, finally says to the audience, “I was wondering

all this time when I would be punished,” and comes to the conclusion that his punishment lay, be-

cause he survived Mozart by thirty years, and was a huge success in Vienna, gigantic success, much

more successful on the level of acclaim, than Mozart, when he spent thirty years being called dis-

tinguished by people incapable of distinguishing. And this almost horrific situation of being em-

balmed in fame, which he himself knew to be worthless, interested me very much, and motivated

the climax of the play.

On the Music of Mozart:

I began to read everything I could about Mozart, who I’ve always felt, I suppose, to be the greatest

of all composers. I still think so. It’s an extraordinary thing about Mozart is that you never tire ofhim…he never bores me, and he doesn’t...not only bore me, that’s too strong a word. For exam-

ple, I think I now know the Beethoven symphonies so well that I don’t much play them anymore

or go to concerts. Not because I hate them. On the contrary, I don’t. They are superb, but I

think I have received most of what I’m going to receive from them, but I never stop receiving full

measure, say from the great Mozart piano concerto or from a visit to The Marriage of Fi-

garo . They are marvelous, inexhaustible works, and they touch an absoluteness in music which I

find deeply mysterious and which very few other composers do touch.

On the Authenticity of Amadeus:

Amadeus is not an objective documentary biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. For a start,

he never called himself Amadeus. He signed himself, when he did, Amadé, which is, you know,is the French version of it, and a lot of people who criticize the play on that level appear never to

have heard of fiction. […] The scatology is true, and a lot of it I got from, or the idea of it, from his

letters, particularly to his cousin, Anna Maria Thekla, and I figure if a guy writes scatology, his

conversation must be fairly scatological too. Perhaps not the other way around, but certainly that

way, I think, it’s a fairly safe assumption. And a lot of people don’t—for the nineteenth century,

for example—could not accept the idea of a man writing ineffable music, say the slow movement of

the “Clarinet Concerto,” who also is telling fart jokes, but I mean I find that as the great paradox

that excites a dramatist, that sort of thing. Part of him is very infantile. He was held back, a lot, I

think, in his development by his father. He wrote a lot of letters to his father which either conceal

or evade the truth. They have the force, not exactly of lying, but of doctored truth, because he was

frightened of his father and always wanted to please him too much, although he did defy him in

the end and married the girl that Leopold didn’t want him to marry, and all of that is true. Hisaddiction to billiards and dancing is true, his dressing up is true, but you see, he didn’t…it’s amaz-

ing that he had any time to do anything but write, because the outpouring of music is so vast, and

the wonder is not only that it’s so prolific, but that it is so perfect once he got started. I think Mo-

zart’s--apart from one or two works written in Salzburg--his greatness begins with his arrival in Vi-

enna and the ten years—1781 to 1791 when he just writes one masterpiece after another.



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Production History

Shaffer’s play Amadeus has had a colorful history. His play was inspired by amuch earlier play by Aleksandr Pushkin, entitled Mozart and Salieri (1830). In1979 when it premiered in London at the National Theater, audiences were capti-vated by this new depiction of a favorite musician. It opened on Broadway to simi-larly positive reviews, earning seven Tony nominations and five awards. A movieversion that stars F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce, retains some of the

Shaffer’s original script and was released in 1984 winning a remarkable eightOscars that year. In 2000, the play was revived on Broadway, receiving two moreawards, this time for best actor and best revival.

Plays by Peter Shaffer:

Amadeus, 1979

Black Comedy, 1965

The Royal Hunt of the

Sun, 1964

Equus, 1973



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TONY ABATEMARCO ( Antonio Salieri) Juilliardgrad. Awards: Bach at Leipzig , The Mystery of IrmaVep, La Bete, Camaralenta. Playwright: Cologne;

Four Fathers. Direction: Julie Harris in Lucifer’s

Child (Broadway/ A&E television); Mark Taper Fo-rum, Pasadena Playhouse, Santa Fe Stages, La Mama,

etc. Recipient: two National Endowment for the Artsfellowships. Artistic Director: Jacques D’Amboise’s

National Dance Institute, Los Angeles. Internationaltheater: Institute of Contemporary Arts, London; Del- phi, Greece; Theatre Grevin, Paris. Film: Sleeping

with the Enemy, I Am Sam, etc. Television: 26 guest

starring roles, including “E.R.” and “Frasier.” Teach-ing: USC School of Theatre; endowed chair, Santa

Monica College, Emeritus.

HARRIS DORAN (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ) Harris is thrilled to be back atPittsburgh Public Theater, where he was

seen last season as the Emcee in Cabaret .Theater credits include: Hair

(Broadway), Richard Cory, The Oppositeof Sex, Oliver (Ovation Award Nomina-

tion), The Compleat Works of WllmShkspr (abridged), The Seagull, A Mid-

summer Night's Dream, Red Eye of Love(Eugene O'Neill Theater Center/ The

Public Theater). Film & TV: “Exposing the Order of the Serpentine ,” 2+1, "The Black

Donnellys," "Malcolm In The Middle," and "Any Day Now." Harris is currently writingthe book and lyrics to the new musical Higher . Training: The Juilliard School.

www.harrisdoran.com

Antonio Salieri

andWolfgang Amadeus Mozart



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Themes to Explore

Art and Religion

Why do societies need to create art for religious purposes? The place of religious art insociety, perhaps, provides a way to express human feelings on a deeper level than with

words alone. Music and visual arts present both the artist and the spectator with a new

method of worship, that helps us to express what we cannot adequately say.

A prevailing notion in Amadeus is that God has chosen the talented and that those who

are blessed with such talent should use it in praise of him. This fuels both Salieri’s drive to

be a better composer and his hatred for Mozart, whom he thinks has been chosen by

God. Both Salieri and Mozart wrote numerous masses and songs for the church, showing

the importance that religion still had in the world of art, despite the Enlightenment. It pro-

vided both a reason to create music and a venue for musical performance.

The earliest tracings of “art” in society date back to etchings and paintings found in caves

all over the world. It has led scholars to believe that as long as there has been humanity,

there has been a dialogue associated with art. These early drawings told stories that the an-

cient people had no other way to tell. Drawing was a form of communication.

Even today, art plays a role in society – pushing it in new directions, teaching morals, illus-

trating familiar stories, and challenging established views.

From this desire to teach and pass down information with symbols has come the need to

use art to represent God and religious values. For almost the entire recorded history of

religious beliefs there have been art forms uniquely attached to each religion. For exam-

ple, icons of Buddha and the Virgin Mary that have been in existence for nearly 2000 years are familiar to us because their associated religions have endured. Ancient mytho-

logical traditions are told not just through words, but symbols and pictures, forming the

basis of mythology from Egypt to the Native Americans. The famous buildings and statues

of Ancient Greece, like the Parthenon and the Acropolis, all served religious purposes for

their polytheistic (worshipping multiple gods) traditions. In western society, perhaps the

most famous works of devotional art include the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michel-

angelo, Handel’s “Messiah” and “The Last Supper” by Leonardo DaVinci, which were

created using three different mediums – fresco, music, and painting.

Check out how you can “be the art” on the next page!



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Living Artwork:

Provide copies of several paintings, statues, frescoes, etc.

that your students can examine. A good example isDa Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (for class purposes, they

need not be religious but they must tell a story). In class,

divide students into small groups and assign each one a

different artwork. Ask the students to recreate the mood

of the artwork in living statues. The aim is not to be a pic-

ture perfect representation of the original piece, but to

interpret the artist’s feelings in a modern way, i.e. for

“The Last Supper,” students may not want to sit around a

table in the classic pose, but instead interpret it as a going-

away party or a funeral. Keep in mind that the perform-

ers are not allowed to talk but must show the emotion ofthe piece with their bodies and facial expressions. When

each group has created a living statue, ask the students to

walk around the “artwork” and comment on the choices

that the groups have made. During the discussion, the

commenting groups may move the living statues in ways

that the group feels can also express the sentiment. For

more of a challenge, ask the groups to guess what the

original piece was, rather than telling them.

Going Further:

To add another layer to this exercise, introduce music tothe activity Choose several songs (classical music works

best, but feel free to experiment) and ask the students to

choose the song that best fits their living statue. The stu-

dents then play the music while one by one they take

their positions in the piece.



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THEMES TO EXPLORE

Musical Memories

Amadeus is largely a memory play. When the play starts, we are introduced to Salieri asan old man in the last days of his life. The story travels back and forth in time according to

Salieri’s memories and how he wants to tell the story of his feud with Mozart. Many times,

these scenes are accompanied by Mozart’s music, which triggers both his admiration and

hatred for the young composer.

It is easy to see the emotional effect that music has on people. A certain song may pro-

voke tears or laughter depending on the situation and the person. Music has a seemingly

magical property that helps the listener remember a time and a place that they may other-

wise have forgotten. Maybe it takes you back to your first love in 7th grade or a big fight

with your brother last year. It can change your mood from bad to good, just by the memo-

ries that it conjures.

Have you heard a song from years ago and realized that you still know all of the words? It

isn’t magic that helps you remember. There are scientific studies that explore the effects

of music on the human brain. Not only does music help people to remember certain

events and moments in their lifetime, it can also help them to remember lists, vocabulary,

and other languages. A lot of music by classical composers like Mozart and Handel was

written in a time signature that had 60 beats per minute. It has been shown that listening

to music at this pace utilizes both sides of the brain, helping people to remember things

more accurately. A study at the University of Texas in 1982 demonstrated this theory.

Three groups were assigned to listen to and memorize a list of words. The first two groups

were read the words while listening to Handel’s Water Music and the third was read the

words without the music. The first group was asked to envision the words while the sec-ond two were not. After two weeks, the groups were given a test on the words and the first

group had perfect results! The other two groups were able to recall some, but not all of

the words. The reasons for this phenomenon lie in the mathematics behind the music

and their ability to help you categorize information in your brain. This shows the incredi-

ble power of music, both emotionally and mentally. So next time you’re preparing for a

big test, try listening to Mozart’s Flute Concerto no.2 in D Major while you study – it just

might help!

Check out our Classical MusicMemory Test on the next page!



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Test Your Memory

Try this memory study with your class and see if your results agree with the study.

Before you meet with your class, come up with a list of 15-20 words that are unrelated. Find

copies of Handel’s “Water Music” or some other classical piece and a song by Metallica ora similar rock band, or use our suggestions below. In class, divide the students into three

groups. One group will listen to classical music during the experiment, one will listen to

rock and roll and one not have music. Have the first group stay in the room while the other

two wait where they cannot hear the words. Read the list three times and allow the students

to sit, with the music playing, for about three minutes. After they have finished, repeat with

the other groups, using the rock music and no music. At the end of that class time, ask all of

the students to write down what words they remember, without talking about them. Try test-

ing them again the following day and a week later and log the results. Compare your results

with the study: did your classroom learn best with classical music? With rock and roll? Did

your class remember words that weren’t on the original list? Ask the students to compare

experiences between the different music styles and how they felt it helped or hindered theirability to remember.

Song Suggestions:

Classical:

∗ Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17, Finale

∗ Bach: Prelude & Fugue No. 1, from The

Well-Tempered Clavier

∗ Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor

For more classical music, go to the Classical

Music Archives atwww.classicalarchives.com

Rock and Roll:

∗ Metallica: Enter Sandman

∗ Blink 182: A New Hope

∗ Aerosmith: Walk this Way



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The Serpent andEgg: Representsknowledge andhope.

Themes to Explore

The Masons’ Secret

According to the Freemasons themselves, “Freemasonryis the oldest and largest world wide fraternity dedicated to

the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of a Su-

preme Being. Although of a religious nature, Freema-

sonry is not a religion. It urges its members, however, to

be faithful and devoted to their own religious beliefs.”

The actual beginning of Freemasonry is rather vague: a

poem dating to 1390 called the Regius Manuscript is

largely believed to be the oldest Masonic text. However,

the first lodges were not noted until the end of the 16 th

century, at the same time the Enlightenment was stirringin Europe. Masons, who agree to have faith in a supreme

being, share a common desire to become better men by

being more educated in their lives and spirituality and op-

erating under free-will for the benefit of society. They

pledge no faith toward one god or another, leaving the

organization open for interpretation by its members. In

this way, the men are able to explore the Enlightenment

themes of science and learning while still maintaining a

spiritual lifestyle.

For centuries, the Masons have been shrouded in mys-tery. Members can only be admitted to meetings after

completing a grip, or the secret handshake, sometimes

accompanied by a password or other token. Membership

has several levels, called degrees, which illustrate the

member’s development as a Mason, and in most lodges,

the third degree is the culmination of membership.

Mozart is one of many famous Masons in history. In

Amadeus , you will hear a little about his opera The

Magic Flute, which was rooted in Masonic symbolism

and teachings, and incorporates Enlightenment ideals andEgyptian Mythology. However the play again takes some

liberties with fact: The Magic Flute was not as poorly re-

ceived as portrayed in Amadeus, it actually ran for 100

straight performances to very pleased crowds!

Check out our super secret activity on the next page!

The Secret Symbols of the

Masons

Part of the secrecy of the masons

relied on their use of symbols toillustrate their beliefs. Each Ma-sonic symbol represents a different

part of their society. Here are someof the most common symbols and

their meaning within the society!

Compass andSquare:Represents thebalance between

the spiritual

(compass) and physical(square).

The Illumi-nati: Repre-sents the eyeof God watch-ing over hu-mankind.

Five PointedStar: Repre-sents the five

points of Fel-

lowship.

These are just four of many Ma-sonic symbols. If you had a se-cret club, what would your sym-bols be? What would they mean?



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The Secret Society

This is a new variation on the Augusto Boal’s “Murder at the Hotel Agato.” The object

of this game is to create a secret society like the Masons – students will either be masons

or non-masons and will try to identify each other. Before the class, determine the secretgestures that will be used to identify the Masons. This should be something that they can

do that isn’t too noticeable, like a wink. Next determine a response, like a finger snap.

Then prepare small papers, one for each of the students. About half of them should say

“Non-Mason” and the other half should say, “Mason – Wink and finger snap.” In class,

pass out the papers and explain the rules:

The students are to walk around the classroom keeping aware of the people around

them. The Masons are to try to pick out other Masons by using the secret gesture. If they

get it right, the other Mason will snap their fingers (or whatever gesture you choose) in

response. If they get it wrong, they will “die” with a brief melodramatic scene. Suggest to

your students that waiting a few seconds before beginning their death scene may help tokeep the secrecy of the Members. While playing, the Non-Masons can participate by try-

ing to figure out the Mason gestures and becoming a Mason. However, if a Mason ap-

proaches them and they respond incorrectly, they must leave the game. The game con-

tinues until there are only a few players left who have shown the best awareness of their

surroundings, whether they were all originally Masons or not.

Fun fact: There are many famous Masons throughout history,not just Mozart! Recognize any of these names?

“Buzz” Aldrin “Count” BasieGeorge Washington Ben FranklinSir Arthur Conan Doyle Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Arnold Palmer Mark Twain

Oscar Wilde Aleksandr Pushkin



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Glossary:

There are some words in Amadeus that you may not understand. The text is primarily in

English but at times slips into French, Italian and German. Fortunately, many of the for-

eign words sound similar to English or their meanings can be deduced from the dialoguesurrounding it. Here are two lists of unfamiliar English words that you will come across

during the play or in information surrounding it. Knowing these will help enrich your

theater experience and your language skills.

Musical Terms:

Coloratura: n . runs, trills, and other florid decorations in music.

Contredanza: n . Cuban inspired dance of the 18th century.

Counterpoint: n . the texture resulting from the combining of individual melodic lines.

Divisi: adj . divided; separated, used as a musical direction for two or more performers

reading a part to begin reading two or more different parts.K-numbers: n . the chronological identifier of Mozart’s works, as assigned by Ludwig von

Köchel

Kapellmeister: n . director of music to a king, nobleman, or bishop.

Libretto: n . the text or words of an opera or similar extended musical composition.

Opera: n . a dramatic composition in which all parts are sung to instrumental accompani-

ment.

Requiem: n . the mass celebrated for the repose of the souls of the dead.

Other important terms:

Absolution: n . a freeing from blame or guilt, or the remission of sinAmadeus: n . Latin: love of God

Commission: n . an order for something, especially a work of art to be produced specially.

Invocation: n . the act of calling upon a deity for aid, protection, inspiration, or the like

Libertine: n . a person who is morally unrestrained.

Patron: n . a person who gives financial or other support to a person, cause, work of art,

etc., especially one who buys works of art, or takes an honorary position in a charity, etc.

Plaudit: n . a round of applause.

Prodigy: n . a person endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities, esp. a child.

Salons: n . an assembly of guests, common during the 17th and 18th centuries, consisting of

leaders in society, art, politics, etc.



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After the show questions

∗ The play depicts a very competitive relationship between Salieri and Mozart.

In what ways are the men similar? How are they different?

∗ Being poisoned is a major theme in this play. How does Shaffer use this mo-tif? When you discovered that Salieri metaphorically ‘poisoned’ Mozart,were you surprised?

∗ Amadeus is not a musical, but uses music to set the scene. In what ways didthe music drive the action? Can you compare it to musicals, where the actionis underlined by the musical number?

∗ Does Amadeus give you a greater understanding of Mozart and classical mu-sic? Would you want to see The Magic Flute or another Mozart opera?

∗ The set, props and costumes for Amadeus are particularly interesting becauseof the period in which the play is set. How did the production elements sup-

port the script? Did you notice anything in particular that set the tone of theplay?

Want to learn more?

The Mozart Guided Tour

∗ A great resource on all things Mozart. The site is presented as if by Mozart

himself and includes biographical information, the Kochel catalogue, greatlinks and more!

<http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/1025/index.html>

Mozart or Salieri Quiz∗ Great activity for music class: listen to clips of famous songs by Mozart and

Salieri and try to determine which composer wrote what. Windows MediaPlayer and MP3 format.

<http://reverent.org/mozart_or_salieri.html>

The Regius Manuscript

∗ The oldest known Masonic Document, translated into modern English, usingpoetic meter.

<http://www.masonicsites.org/blue/regius2.htm>

The William Inge Theater Festival Interview with Peter Shaffer∗ Complete text of Peter Shaffer interview, with topics including growing up in

England, American audiences, information about his major plays and being aplaywright.

<http://www.ingefestival.org/interviews/petershaffer.htm>



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PA Academic Standards-Pittsburgh Public Theater – Season 33

Amadeus

READING, WRITING, SPEAKING AND LISTENING

1.1-Students identify, describe, evaluate, and synthesize the essential ideas of the text.1.3- Students analyze and interpret the play based on literary elements and devices,

dramatic themes, and the use of language.1.4- In post-show activities students can compose dramatic scenes where they work to

construct dialogue, develop character, and outline plot.1.6- Students listen and watch a selection of dramatic literature, analyze and synthesize

the many elements of drama, and respond to post-show talkbacks and discussions

with Public Theater staff, teachers, classmates, and students from other schooldistricts.

CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT

5.2- Students will observe and evaluate the differences in the essential rights andresponsibilities of citizens within various systems of government. Students alsoencounter the issues of conflict of interest between citizen and government,

cooperation or resistance to the law, and participation in government activities.Students interpret the causes of conflict in the society and analyze its resolution.

GEOGRAPHY7.1- Students relate physical locations to events in the play.

7.3- Students examine the human characteristics of geography, especially as they relate to population, demographics, political, economic and cultural characteristics in 18th century Europe and in the 20th and 21st century North America.

HISTORY8.1- Students understand and analyze chronological thinking and historical interpretation

by placing the era of 16th and 18th century Europe, and 20th and 21st century North

America in the context of human history.

8.4- Students assess the political, cultural, ethnic, religious, and philosophical impact of individuals, materialartifacts, and groups to world history.

ARTS AND HUMANITIES

9.1- Students recognize and use the principles and vocabulary of theater and music in discussion and are able toidentify themes conveyed in the production. Students are also able to analyze the use of contemporary and tra-

ditional technologies in regard to producing, performing, and understanding the humanities.9.2- Students can analyze the historical, cultural and social context of a work of art. Students also examine theimpact of art by using appropriate vocabulary to address the cultural, philosophical and historical aspects of art.

9.3-9.4- In post show talkbacks, discussions, and writing assignments, students are encouraged to describe thevarious elements of the work, evaluate the play critically and aesthetically, and consider the social impact of thework.



Summer Youth Classes

June 16-June 27, 2008 (Ages 13-17) ACTING WORKSHOP: SCENE STUDY

June 23-July 11, 2008 (Ages 13-17)INTRODUCTION TO PLAYWRIGHTING &SCREENWRITING

June 30-July 11, 2008 (Ages 10-12) ACTING WORKSHOP: MAKING IT REAL

June 14-August 1, 2008 (Ages 13-17) ACTING WORKSHOP: SHAKESPEAREINTENSIVE

Check out www.ppt.org for more informa-tion.

Shakespeare Monologue &Scene Contest

Don’t miss out—Register now!

January 25th– Online RegistrationDeadline

January 11– February 8– CoachingSessions

February 11- 15– PreliminaryRound

February 18, 2008– Showcase ofFinalists

What’s going on at Pittsburgh Public Theater?

Tell us what you think:

Pittsburgh Public Theater looks forward to receiving teacher and student feedback.Please share your thoughts about the play, the Resource Guide and your experi-

ence at Pittsburgh Public Theater. Feedback may be sent to:

Pittsburgh Public Theater

Attn: Education Department621 Penn Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Or email us at [email protected]

This resource guide was created by Laura Greenawalt, Education Intern. The Education and OutreachDepartment would like to thank Philip Stephenson, Marilyn Egan and the Pittsburgh Opera, KristenLink, The William Inge Theater Festival and Mike Wood, and Stage Notes—A Camp Broadway LLC

Production for their contributions to this guide.

Amadeus Resource Guide

Documents

Transcript of Amadeus Resource Guide