Scene 3

INT. PALACE GRAND SALON - DAY - 1780'S


EMPEROR JOSEPH II, He is an intelligent, dapper man of forty, wearing a military uniform. Around him but standing, are his Chamberlain, JOHANN VON STRACK. COUNT ORSINI-ROSENBERG: BARON VON SWIETEN, FIRST KAPELLMEISTER GIUSEPPE BONNO:
At a side-table, two Imperial secretaries, using quill pens and inkstands, write down everything of importance that is said.A door opens. The Emperor Joseph comes into the salon

JOSEPH
Good, good, good.
Good morning, gentlemen.

All bow and say
Good morning, Your Majesty!

JOSEPH (To Saliery )
Well, what do you have for me today?

SALIERI
Your Majesty, Herr Mozart –

JOSEPH
Yes, what about him?

VON STRACK
He's here.

JOSEPH
Ah-ha. Well. There it is. Good.

JOSEPH
How good is he, this Mozart?

VON SWIETEN
He's remarkable, Majesty. I heard an extraordinary serious opera of his last month., King of Crete.

ORSINI-ROSENBERG
That? A most tiresome piece. I heard it, too.

VON SWIETEN
Tiresome?

ORSINI-ROSENBERG
A young man trying to impress beyond his abilities. Too much spice.
Too many notes.

VON SWIETEN
Majesty, I thought it the most promising work I've heard in years.

JOSEPH
Ah-ha. Well then, we should make some effort to acquire him. We could
use a good German composer in Vienna, surely?

VON STRACK
I agree, Majesty, but I'm afraid it’s not possible. The young man is
still in the pay of the Archbishop.

JOSEPH
Very small pay, I imagine. I'm sure he could be tempted with the right
offer. Say, an opera in German for our National Theatre.

VON SWIETEN
Excellent, sire!

ORSINI-ROSENBERG
But not German, I beg your Majesty!
Italian is the proper language for opera. All educated people agree on that

JOSEPH
Ah-ha. What do you say, Chamberlain?

VON STRACK
In my opinion, it is time we had a piece in our own language, sir. Plain
German. For plain people

He looks defiantly at Orsini-Rosenberg.

JOSEPH
Ah-ha. Kapellmeister?
BONNO
(Italian accent)
Majesty, I must agree with Herr Director. Opera is an Italian art,
solamente. German is - scusate - too bruta for singing, too rough.

JOSEPH
Ah-ha. Court Composer, what do you say?

SALIERI
I think it is an interesting notion to keep Mozart in Vienna, Majesty.
It should really infuriate the Archbishop beyond measure - if that
is your Majesty's intention.

JOSEPH
You are cattivo, Court Composer.

To Von Strack
I want to meet this young man. Mozart
Chamberlain, arrange a pleasant welcome for him.

VON STRACK
Yes, sir.

SALIERI
Majesty, I hope you won't think it improper, but I have written a little
March of Welcome in his honour

He produces a paper.
JOSEPH
What a charming idea. May I see?

SALIERI
(Handing it over)
It's just a trifle, of course.

JOSEPH
May I try it?

SALIERI
Majesty.

The Emperor goes to the instrument, sits and plays the first bars of it. Quite well.

JOSEPH
Delightful, Court Composer.
Would you permit me to play it as he comes in?

SALIERI
You do me too much honour, Sire.

JOSEPH
Let's have some fun.
(To the waiting Majordomo)

Bring in Herr Mozart, please. But slowly, slowly. I need a minute to
practice.

The Majordomo bows and goes. The Emperor addresses himself to the march. He plays a wrong note.

SALIERI
A-flat, Majesty.

JOSEPH
Ah-ha!

Joseph finishes the march. The door opens.

MAJORDOMO
Herr Mozart.

Mozart comes in eagerly. Immediately the march begins, played by His Majesty. All the courtiers stand, listening with admiration. Joseph plays well, but applies himself fiercelyto the manuscript. Mozart, still bewildered, regards the scene, but does not seem to pay attention to the music itself. It finishes and all claps obsequiously.

ORSINI-ROSENBERG
Bravo, Your Majesty!

VON STRACK
Well done, Sire!

The Emperor rises, pleased with himself. He snatches the manuscript off the stand and holds it in his hand for the rest of the scene.

JOSEPH
Gentlemen, gentlemen, a little less enthusiasm, I beg you.
Charming, comme d’habitude { com dohabit}
Ah, Mozart.

He extends his hand. Mozart throws himself to his knees, and to Joseph's discomfort kisses the royal hand with fervour.

MOZART
Your Majesty!

JOSEPH
No, no, s’il vous plait [sil bu plaith]
Please! It is not a holy relic.

(Raising Mozart up)

You know we have met already?
You will not recall it, but last time we met, you were also on the floor.
My sister remembers it to this day.
Perhaps you won’t remember it.

(To the others)

This young man, all of six years old, mind you, slipped on the floor –came a nasty purler on his little head. Have I told you this before?

ORSINI-ROSENBERG
No, Majesty.

VON STRACK
No, Majesty.

JOSEPH
He was giving the most brilliant little concert. As he got off
the stool, he slipped and fell. My sister Antoinette helped him up
herself, and do you know what he did? Jumped straight into her arms
and said, Will you marry me, yes or no?

Embarrassed, Mozart bursts into a wild giggle. Joseph helps him out.

JOSEPH
I do not mean to embarrass you , Herr mozart
You know all these gentlemen, I'm sure.

JOSEPH
The Baron Von Swieten

VON SWIETEN
I'm a great admirer of yours, young man. Welcome.

MOZART
Oh, thank you.

JOSEPH
The Director of our Opera. Count Orsini-Rosenberg.

MOZART
(Bowing excitedly)
Oh sir, yes! The honour is mine. Absolutely.

Orsini-Rosenberg nods without enthusiasm.

JOSEPH
And here is our illustrious Court
Composer, Herr Salieri.

SALIERI
(Taking his hand)
Finally! Such an immense joy.

MOZART
I know your work well, Signore. Do you know I actually composed some
variations on a melody of yours?

SALIERI
Really?

MOZART
Mio caro Adone.

SALIERI
Ah!

MOZART
A funny little tune, but it yielded some good things.

JOSEPH
And now he has returned the compliment. Herr Salieri composed
the March of Welcome for you.

MOZART
(Speaking expertly)
Really? Oh, grazie, Signore!

He bows elaborately. Salieri inclines himself, dryly.

SALIERI
My pleasure.

JOSEPH
Well, there it is.

Then he becomes aware of the manuscript in his hand.

JOSEPH
Ah, this is yours.

Mozart does not take it.

MOZART
Keep it, Sire, if you want to. It is already here in my head.

JOSEPH
What? On one hearing only?

MOZART
I think so, Sire, yes.
Pause.
JOSEPH
Show me.

Mozart bows and hands the manuscript back to the Emperor. Then he goes to the forte-piano and seats himself. The others, except for Salieri, gather around the manuscript held by the
King. Mozart plays the first half of the march with deadly accuracy.

MOZART
Graze, Signore
(To Salieri)
The rest is just the same, isn't it?

He plays the first half again but stops in the middle of a phrase, which he repeats dubiously.

MOZART
That really doesn't work, does it?
All the courtiers look at Salieri.

MOZART
Did you try this? Wouldn't it be just a little more -?

He plays another phrase.

MOZART
Or this - yes, this! Better.

He plays another phrase. Gradually, he alters the music so that it turns into the celebrated march. He plays it with increasing abandon and virtuosity. Salieri watches with a fixed smile on his face. The court watches, astonished. He finishes in great glory, takes his hands off the keys with a gesture of triumph and grin.

The music swells up and Salieri listens to it with eyes closed - amazed, transported - suddenly engulfed by the sound. Finally it fades down and away and changes into applause. Salieri opens his eyes

MOZART
Why don’t you try a variation?

JOSEPH
Thank you I must go
It has been delightful to meet you.

MOZART
For me too. And thanks for the march, Majesty.

OLD SALIERI

Dimly the music sounded from the salon above.
Dimly the stars shone on the empty street.
I was suddenly frightened. It seemed to me that I had heard a voice
of God and that issued from a creature whose own voice I had also heard
and it was the voice of an obscene child.

Extraordinary! That was no composition by a performing
monkey!. A Music I'd never heard. Filled with such longing,
such unfulfillable longing, it had me trembling.