Did rival Court composer Antonio Salieri actually murder Mozart - whose music to Salieri was the voice of God? Was it the Freemasons, whose rituals Mozart had exposed in his last great opera The Magic Flute? Or was Mozart destroyed by his own demons including the ghost of his terrifying father? Set amidst the opulence and splendour of 18th Century Vienna, Peter Shaffer's thrilling, and often wickedly funny play, pits blazing human ambition against heavenly genius, in a battle of life and death. Salieri dedicates his life to God if He will give him the gift of music only to see God favour Mozart, an obscene giggling child, whose simplest improvisations are superior to Salieri’s most agonised creations. So Salieri declares war on God. He, too, will break all the commandments, as well as destroy God’s favoured musician in revenge, to strike a blow for all the mediocrities of the world, to strike a blow for us! The part of Salieri will be played by David Lambert, that versatile actor who has previously starred at the Maddermarket in Privates on Parade, A Funny Thing happened on the Way to the Forum and A Chorus of Disapproval. Handsome young actor Turlough Lloyd who also appeared in Forum and Disapproval will play Mozart. The set is designed by John Stokes whose work is renowned for its intricate detail and flamboyant style (the backdrop to the Locrian Ensemble’s concerts is his). Glorious Baroque costumes and wigs provide spectacle and dash. Amadeus opens at the Maddermarket Theatre on Thursday 27 May and runs until Saturday 5 June. | 
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