Antonio Salieri believes that Mozart's music is divine. He wishes he was himself as good a musician as Mozart so that he can praise the Lord through composing. But he can't understand why God favored Mozart, such a vulgar creature, to be his instrument. Salieri's envy has made him an enemy of God whose greatness was evident in Mozart. He is set to take revenge.

Cast member Simon Callow originally portrayed the part of Mozart in the 1979 stage production.

[Reflecting upon a Mozart score]


Salieri:
I was staring through the cage of those meticulous ink strokes - at an absolute beauty.

Factual errors: As with most historical biopics, some of the events did not occur exactly as they are portrayed in the film, or may have happened at a different time. Some did not take place at all and are included purely for dramatic purposes.

(1786)
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (uncredited)
Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte (uncredited)
Performed by The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (as Academy of St Martin In The Fields)
Conducted by Neville Marriner
Excerpts Sung by Samuel Ramey (Figaro), Felicity Lott (Countess), Richard Stilwell (Count Almaviva),
Isobel Buchanan (as Isabel Buchanan) (Susanna), Anne Howells (Cherubino), Deborah Rees (Barbarina),
, Alexander Oliver (Basilio), Robin Leggate (Don Curzio), John Tomlinson (Dr. Bartolo) and Willard White (Antonio)