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wjbc t1_ity5xnd wrote

Great actor. The part was pure slander, though. What's more, it's based on actual slander during Salieri's lifetime, which contributed to his nervous breakdowns later in life. Despite the rumors, there is absolutely no evidence Mozart was poisoned. The sad fact is that many young people died of disease in that day and age, and Mozart was one of those many.

Interestingly, however, there was a revival in interest in Salieri's compositions because of the play and movie Amadeus. A lot of people realized the play was historically inaccurate, and what's more they realized that Salieri was actually an excellent composer. They started performing his works to prove it.

The real reason for the slander during Salieri's lifetime may have been his Italian ethnicity. At the time the Hapsburg Empire included much of Italy. But over time the German-speaking members of the Hapsburg Empire became more chauvinistic about their taste in music, and did not appreciate an Italian composer directing Italian operas in Vienna. That's true even though Salieri's own compositions were heavily influenced by German composers.

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isecore t1_itypj1v wrote

The movie is great, the acting is great but yes, it's almost completely fictionalized.

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Outrageous_Use_574 t1_itzgdr9 wrote

> But over time the German-speaking members of the Hapsburg Empire became more chauvinistic about their taste in music, and did not appreciate an Italian composer directing Italian operas in Vienna. That’s true even though Salieri’s own compositions were heavily influenced by German composers.

This is one of the plot points of the movie……

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hilarymeggin t1_iu2lx5b wrote

Salieri was an excellent composer?? Care to provide any examples? Because I’ve heard some real stinkers he wrote. Lots and lots of I V I V I V I V I.

I have an open mind though. I’m ready to learn from you.

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cartstanza t1_iu4zwew wrote

Can you remember no melody of his? He was the most famous composer in Europe! He wrote 40 operas alone!

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hilarymeggin t1_iu5ira0 wrote

Ok that made me laugh. So I’m giving the Salieri symphony I started yesterday one more try.

What I really want is for someone to give me two pieces, a mediocre one by Salieri and a masterpiece by Mozart, and see if I can tell them apart.

I’ve seen some quizzes like that online, where you have to guess whether something was written by Dickens or a terrible writer. The problem is that they don’t distinguish great writing from poor writing, just the person who wrote it. Like not everything Mozart wire was a masterpiece, and not everything Salieri wrote was terrible. But I think I’d do pretty well distinguishing great music and terrible music.

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hilarymeggin t1_iu5j7zn wrote

Okay, I just searched Apple Music for Salieri Arias, and *everything * that came up was a Mozart aria. That’s gotta hurt!

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horsegrrl t1_ity6usa wrote

My little brother, who was 7 when Amadeus came out, was totally obsessed with this movie. Wore the VHS tape out by watching it over and over again. (He fast-forwarded through the "boring" parts.) My dad even bought him a piano that is now in my house and played all the time by my 6 year old. So that movie has had a multigenerational impact on our family!

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hilarymeggin t1_iu2m8ps wrote

I was 13 and I ended up paying a life in in classical voice because of that movie!

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Inle-rah t1_ity9o3w wrote

All I ever wanted was to sing to God. He gave me that longing... and then made me mute. Why? Tell me that. If He didn't want me to praise Him with music, why implant the desire? Like a lust in my body! And then deny me the talent?

[addressing a crucifix] From now on, we are enemies... You and I. Because You choose for Your instrument a boastful, lustful, smutty, infantile boy and give me for reward only the ability to recognize the incarnation. Because You are unjust, unfair, unkind, I will block You, I swear it. I will hinder and harm Your creature on earth as far as I am able. I will ruin Your incarnation.

(Throws crucifix in fire)

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LastPlaceIWas t1_itykkt5 wrote

When I watched Amadeus as a kid I liked the movie because it was interesting to see how they portrayed Mozart. And I had an appreciation for classical music and the time period. Now as an adult I can really appreciate the script. Great writing. Such meaning and pain in his words as he describes Mozart.

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Noreaster0 t1_ity4lqo wrote

F. Murray Abraham, and F the effing Diaz Brothers.

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redundant35 t1_ityuvgf wrote

Why are you saying F Murray Abraham? What did he do?

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PmMeYourLore t1_ity4sn9 wrote

Amadeus Amadeus, A-ma-deus. Amadeus Amadeus, A-ma-deus

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charliehustles t1_itz5qrn wrote

Dr Zaius Dr Zaius, Dr Zaius Dr Zaius, ohhhh Dr Zaius.

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Z_mog415 t1_ity53sw wrote

"How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" "PRACTICE! John Practice! You Old S.O.B."

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popeboyQ t1_iu0m3y0 wrote

I just rewatched LAH as an adult and thought that was the best joke in the movie.

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ChewyBacca1976 t1_ityivgg wrote

He was great in tonight’s episode of Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix.

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Full-Mulberry5018 t1_ity7ojf wrote

WELL DESERVED Oscar 👏

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IvyGold t1_itycoye wrote

It was a real shame that that year the Oscar came down to him and his co-star Tom Hulce. Both deserved it.

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Ms_Originality t1_itz6z3q wrote

One of the most memorable performances of my life. Brilliant acting. Well deserved Oscar!!!

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Sarnadas t1_itykypk wrote

I can’t look at him without seeing the bad guy in Star Trek: Insurrection.

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ChasingPesmerga t1_itzriwc wrote

Love this guy but I also love Hulce

Shame that the latter didn’t go bigger as everyone was expecting, last big movie I watched that starred him was Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with Branagh and De Niro.

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scorpious t1_iu0sylk wrote

Fantastic movie and performances. I thought it was actually a Best Supporting Oscar he got…bravo!

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norrisrw OP t1_iu17p9b wrote

Best Supporting Actor that year was Haing S. Ngor, for The Killing Fields (SOURCE: Academy Awards Database).

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RandomGreekPerson t1_itywyle wrote

For many years I thought him, and Tony Amendola were the same person

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SirLeoritch t1_iu1bqce wrote

That was some great acting he did on that flick

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Quinn8267 t1_iu1eox9 wrote

Cyrus and his ghost house.

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waveyjayvey t1_ityrjne wrote

You expect Antonio Salieri to be a stooli because Mozart said so?!

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