Amadeus

by Peter Shaffer directed by Jiri Zizka

September 19 – October 27, 2007

One of the most acclaimed and popular productions of the 20th Century, Amadeus has been honored with 5 Tonys®, 8 Oscars®, and extended London and Broadway runs. The Wilma is thrilled to open the 2007/08 Season with this modern masterpiece in a version rewritten since its original Broadway and film successes. What happens when mediocrity recognizes itself in the face of genius? Especially when genius comes in the form of a potty-mouthed former child prodigy? This is the challenge posed as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, perhaps the greatest composer of all time, unknowingly becomes the battleground of envious court composer Antonio Salieri’s strife with God. From Peter Shaffer, the master storyteller behind Equus and Black Comedy (produced by the Wilma in 2000), Amadeus combines intrigue, suspense, comedy, and passion with some of the most stirring music ever written.

PRESS / NEWS

“The Wilma gives audiences a production to savor…a big, bold, smart, involving drama supremely well-constructed!”
— Philadelphia Weekly
“…a gorgeous revival of Peter Shaffer’s juicy play…magnificent performances…the play itself is remarkable, sliding from tragedy to melodrama to farce, and from dialogue to narrative to direct address. Amadeus manages to combine a contemporary sensibility with old-fashioned methods to let us watch historical fact and storytelling collide. And, finally, the play insists, unabashedly, that great art endures, and provides enough of Mozart’s music to prove it!”
— The Philadelphia Inquirer
“…brilliantly mounted and performed…hits the mark…Amadeus is a play for the ages!”
— KYW