Amadeus - Characters & Cast

His primary motivation is a desperate longing for immortality and greatness through music, a promise he believes God made to him. When he realizes this gift was given to Mozart instead, his motivation shifts to a vengeful desire to spite God by destroying His chosen "instrument." It's a combination of professional envy and a profound theological crisis.

Salieri begins as a devout, ambitious, and respected court composer who believes in a just God that rewards piety. His discovery of Mozart's genius, housed in a vulgar man, shatters his faith and transforms him into a bitter, vengeful schemer. He declares war on God and works to destroy Mozart, only to find himself aiding his rival on his deathbed, forced to transcribe the very divine music he despises and adores. His arc ends in madness and obscurity, where he ironically anoints himself the "patron saint of mediocrity," forever haunted by Mozart's legacy.

Mozart is driven by an irrepressible need to create music and a desire for recognition on his own terms. He chafes against the conservative tastes of the court and seeks to revolutionize opera. He also craves the approval and love of his stern, deceased father, Leopold, a psychological weakness that Salieri ruthlessly exploits.

Mozart arrives in Vienna as a brilliant, arrogant, and socially inept prodigy, eager for fame but unwilling to play by the court's rules. He is portrayed as a genius who is tragically naive about the political machinations around him, particularly Salieri's enmity. His initial success gives way to a decline marked by financial struggle, alcoholism, and emotional turmoil, especially after the death of his father. Despite his personal failings and suffering, he continues to produce transcendent music. His arc is one of a brilliant flame that burns too brightly and is extinguished too soon, dying in poverty before his genius is fully appreciated.

Her motivations are simple and direct: she loves Wolfgang and wants to build a secure life with him. She pushes him to take on pupils and secure stable positions to alleviate their debt. Her actions are consistently driven by a desire to protect her husband and their family from the consequences of his impracticality.

Constanze begins as a lighthearted and somewhat vulgar young woman who falls for Mozart's genius. As their fortunes decline, she becomes a fiercely protective, pragmatic, and increasingly worried wife, struggling to manage their finances and her husband's erratic behavior. She is naive at first, even approaching Salieri for help, unaware he is their greatest enemy. Her love for Wolfgang is unwavering, but she is ultimately powerless to save him from his own self-destructive tendencies and Salieri's machinations, returning just too late to prevent his final collapse.

The Emperor is motivated by a desire to be seen as an enlightened monarch and a patron of the arts. He wants to foster a national German opera but is constrained by court tradition and his own limited understanding. His primary goal is to maintain decorum and harmony within his court.

Emperor Joseph II is a static character, serving as the well-meaning but musically unsophisticated ruler of Vienna. He is genuinely interested in music and open to Mozart's talent, but is easily swayed by his court advisors, especially Salieri and the Count Orsini-Rosenberg. He represents the conservative establishment that Mozart must win over. His famous line, "too many notes," perfectly encapsulates his inability to fully grasp Mozart's revolutionary genius.