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.
si.
ah! here she comes. fraulein lorl, good morning.
what have you got for me today? let me see.
ah-ha! siena macaroons - my favourites. give my best thanks to the baker.
thank you. are you well today, fraulein lorl?
bene! bene!
grazie, signore.
majesty, i hope you won't think it improper, but i have written a little march of welcome in his honour.
it's just a trifle, of course.
majesty.
you do me too much honour, sire.
a-flat, majesty.
finally! such an immense joy. diletto straordinario!
really?
ah!
my pleasure.
excuse me, sire, but what do you think these could be? being a foreigner, i would love to learn.
ah, love! well of course in italy we know nothing about that.
grazie, signore.
yes?
bene.
good morning.
really? what else did he tell you today? give me some gossip.
oh? news travels fast in vienna.
yes.
no.
well even if there is, i don't think you want to get involved with this one.
well, do you know where it's set, my dear?
in a harem.
a brothel.
a turkish brothel.
my dear, it will hardly enhance your reputation to be celebrated throughout vienna as a singing prostitute for a turk.
perhaps.
you might be disappointed.
looks and talent don't always go together, katherina.
yes! yes! er, on the whole, yes, majesty.
what?
well, what does it matter to you?
you were sublime.
extremely clever.
dear mozart, my sincere congratulations.
how could i not?
please! please! send him away, back to salzburg. for his sake as well as mine.
your highness.
oh, your majesty, it would be such a tremendous honour!
an interesting idea, majesty. but -
you already commissioned an opera from mozart.
yes, of course. my concern is to protect you from any suspicion of favouritism.
i'm sure there is a way, majesty. some kind of a little contest. i could perhaps put together a small committee, and i could see to it naturally that it will select according to your majesty's wishes.
sire.
yes.
who is she?
excuse me, my dear.
madame. how can i help you?
frau mozart?
how charming. but why did he not come himself?
i understand.
i will look at them, of course, the moment i can. it will be an honour. please give him my warmest.
i'm afraid i'm not at leisure this very moment. just leave them with me. i assure you they will be quite safe.
really?
then he didn't send you?
i see.
let me offer you some refreshment. do you know what these are?
cappezzoli di venere. nipples of venus. roman chestnuts in brandied sugar. won't you try one? they're quite surprising.
don't keep calling me that. it puts me at such a distance. i was not born a court composer, you know. i'm from a small town, just like your husband.
are you sure you can't leave that music, and come back again? i have other things you might like.
originals?
these are originals?
it is miraculous.
tomorrow night i dine with the emperor. one word from me and the post is his.
come back tonight.
alone.
some service deserves service in return. no?
isn't it obvious?
it's a post all vienna seeks. if you want it for your husband, come tonight.
then don't. it's up to you. not to be vague, that is the price.
yes.
dear god, enter me now. fill me with one piece of true music. one piece with your breath in it, so i know that you love me. please. just one. show me one sign of your favour, and i will show mine to mozart and his wife. i will get him the royal position, and if she comes, i'll receive her with all respect and send her home in joy. enter me! enter me! please! te imploro.
show her in. then go to bed.
what?
go! go! go!
show this woman out!
majesty, i did. believe me, it was a most agonizing. decision. but finally, i simply could not recommend herr mozart.
well, sire, i made some inquiries in a routine way. i was curious to know why he had so few pupils. it is rather alarming.
majesty, i don't like to talk against a fellow musician.
i have to tell you, mozart is not entirely to be trusted alone with young ladies.
as a matter of fact, one of my own pupils - a very young singer - told me she was - er - well!
molested, majesty. twice, in the course of the same lesson.
what does he want?
come with me. and stay in the room.
herr mozart, what brings you here?
so you are. how is your pretty wife?
i'm flattered. and congratulations to you, of course.
why didn't you come to me yesterday, mozart? this is a most painful situation. yesterday i could have helped you. today, i can't.
i have just come from the palace. the post has been filled.
my dear mozart, there is no one in the world i would rather help, but now it is too late.
herr sommer.
no, no, no: he has yet to achieve mediocrity.
an implausible idea. between you and me, no one in the world could do musical harm to the princess elizabeth.
you don't mean to tell me you are living in poverty?
it has been said, my friend, that you are inclined to live somewhat above your means.
how is that possible? you give concerts, don't you? i hear they are quite successful.
of course not.
i'm afraid not.
ah, how exciting! tell me more.
come, come, mozart; i'm interested. truly.
cream cheese mixed with granulated sugar and suffused with rum. crema al mascarpone.
forgive me. we all have patriotic feelings of some kind.
what exactly are you working on?
i don't think you should become known in vienna as a debtor, mozart. however, i know a very distinguished gentleman i could recommend to you. and he has a daughter. will that do?
do any pupils come to the house?
then how does he pay for all this? does he work at all?
really? what is it he's writing?
of course not. you're a good girl. you're very kind to do this. next time you're sure they'll be out of the house, let me know, will you?
yes what?
where does he work?
i've just learned something that might be of interest to you, herr director.
mozart is writing a new opera. an italian opera.
and that's not all. he has chosen for his subject, figaro. the marriage of figaro.
exactly.
yes.
i've seen the manuscript.
never mind.
incredible.
well, gentlemen, so be it. in that case i think we should help mozart all we can and do our best to protect him against the emperor's anger.
about the ballet.
excuse me - didn't his majesty specifically forbid ballet in his opera?
yes, in the third act.
wolfgang, what is it? sta calmo, per favore. what's the matter?
really? why?
why bother with orsini-rosenberg? he's obviously no friend of yours.
you burned the score?
how fortunate.
but there are those who have power over him. i think i'll take this up with the emperor.
with all my heart, mozart.
no, no, no, herr mozart, please. it's not a holy relic.
it is not a question of liking, your majesty. your own law decrees it, i'm afraid.
i know; it's outrageous. still, if the public doesn't like one's work one has to accept the fact gracefully.
well, i can speak for the emperor. you made too many demands on the royal ear. the poor man can't concentrate for more than an hour and you gave him four.
i think it's marvelous. truly.
i think you overestimate our dear viennese, my friend. do you know you didn't even give them a good bang at the end of songs so they knew when to clap?
i wouldn't presume. all the same, if it wouldn't be imposing, i would like you to see my new piece. it would be a tremendous honour for me.
grazie, mio caro, wolfgang!
mozart. it was good of you to come.
did my work please you?
yes?
you flatter me.
i agree, baron.
no, baron, no. i'm afraid mozart is a lost cause. he has managed to alienate practically the whole of vienna. he is constantly drunk. he never pays his debts. i can't think of one person to whom i dare recommend him.
indeed. just a moment - as a matter of fact i think i do know someone who could commission a work from him. a very appropriate person to do so. yes.
herr mozart?
i have come to commission work from you.
a mass for the dead.
a man who deserved a requiem mass and never got one.
i am only a messenger. do you accept? you will be paid well.
fifty ducats. another fifty when i have the mass. do you accept?
work fast. and be sure to tell no one what you do. you will see me again soon.
now calm yourself. calm. what's the matter with you?
why? what has happened?
what medicine?
where?
is he working?
is he working?
opera? opera!
are you sure it's an opera?
are you neglecting my request?
the sooner you finish, the better your reward. work!
i'll take care of him.
i have a carriage. excuse me.
i'm taking you home. you're not well.
thank you. go.
come now.
where is your wife?
you mean she's not coming back?
no, please.
i would never miss anything that you had written. you must know that.
oh no. it is a sublime piece. the grandest operone. i tell you, you are the greatest composer known to me.
i do.
are you ill?
what?
shall i answer it?
who?
what man?
finish what?
yes, i am looking after him.
well, he's sleeping now. better not.
oh, yes. he's just exhausted. he became dizzy, that's all. we should let him rest.
of course.
bene.
yes. and congratulations to all of you. it was superb.
yes, indeed. goodnight to you all now. it was perfection - truly!
he said to give you this. and if you finish the work by tomorrow night, he will pay you another hundred ducats.
yes. can i - could i help you, in any way?
my dear friend, it would be my greatest pleasure.
of course.
then, let us try together. i'd regard it as such an honour. tell me, what is this work?
the end of the recordare - statuens in parte dextra.
consigned to flames of woe.
what?
oh, yes.
come. let's begin.
confutatis maledictis.
yes.
what time?
yes.
i think so.
yes.
please! just one moment.
first bassoon and tenor trombone - what?
also identical?
and that's all?
i think so.
that's wonderful!
sopranos up to f on the second 'voca'?
yes!
you go fast!
yes.
oh no. i'm not tired at all.
i can keep going, i assure you. shall we try?
i'm not leaving you.
what for?
your husband is ill, ma'am. he took sick. i brought him home.
i was at hand.
he needs me, ma'am.
he asked me to stay.
no. i was assisting him. he asked me.
but - but - but -
madame, i will respect his. he asked me to stay here.