Amadeus Live
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Three stars
Having won no less than eight Oscars after its release in 1984, Miloš Forman’s Amadeus, based on Peter Shaffner’s 1979 play of the same name, is an epic piece of cinema, with what’s arguably the greatest film soundtrack of all time. It is based on the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (albeit somewhat loosely) and his relationship of the composer Salieri, who’s bitter jealousy ultimately leads to Mozart’s death. They say it’s a study in envy; well, I was getting some serious fashion envy from the elaborate, rococo style costumes (THOSE hats!!) and it’s easy to see why one of the film’s Oscars was for best costume design.
Leading an orchestra in a live performance of a film score poses its own particular challenges. The picture on screen will not ebb and flow with a conductor’s baton, so precision and timing are key. Conductor Ludwig Wiki rose to this with aplomb, the orchestra’s entrances meticulously seamless. The chorus, having grown in number sine Gregory Batsleer took over as director in 2015, packed a punch as they delivered sections from Mozart’s requiems with fiery vigour. It might have been nice, though probably not practical, to have had some solo singers on stage too; solo vocal passages were left to Sir Neville Mariner’s original soundtrack.
Historically, there’s probably very little fact in the tale. Whether Mozart believed he was writing his own requiem at the time of his death we will never know; it makes for a great story though, even if it is one which doesn’t let historical facts get in the way of human truths.
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