Will Sharpe: Hitting the right note in the new Amadeus series
Will Sharpe as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the new series.
There is such a thing as healthy competition, but when jealousy and envy take over, the only outcome is destruction. The new five-part television series explores what happens when rivalries turn sour.
Based on Peter Shaffer’s Tony Award-winning 1979 play of the same name and adapted by Joe Barton, this reimagined series traces the meteoric rise and dramatic downfall of one of history’s most iconic composers, the rock-star virtuoso of the 18th century, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
When 25-year-old Amadeus, played by Will Sharpe, arrives in bustling 18th-century Vienna, no longer a child prodigy and craving creative freedom, his world collides with two pivotal figures: his fiercely loyal future wife, Constanze Weber, played by Gabrielle Creevy, and the devoutly religious court composer Antonio Salieri, portrayed by Paul Bettany.
As Amadeus’s brilliance continues to flourish despite his personal demons, a questionable reputation, and scepticism from the conservative court, Salieri becomes increasingly tormented by what he sees as a divine gift bestowed upon an unworthy rival. With Amadeus threatening everything Salieri holds dear — his talent, his reputation, even his faith in God — Salieri vows to bring him down.
Sharpe, 39, known for his roles in Lena Dunham’s and Season 2, says the challenge of playing Mozart was balancing the duality of his personality.
“It’s obviously a fictionalised version of the character,” says the English actor and filmmaker. “I approached it much like any other role, by trying to understand who he is on the page and finding a way into that.
“What was unusual was having so much music to draw on during preparation. On one end, the music is playful and almost silly, which reflects one side of him; on the other, there are pieces that are incredibly grand, dark, and serious. The challenge was finding a balance between all those different aspects of him.”
Bettany, 54, known for roles in and says he channelled Salieri’s envy and jealousy into a father–son narrative.
“I found it really hard to attach myself to the idea of God,” explains Bettany. “I think what’s happened is he feels like God has chosen Mozart and abandoned him. I then sort of adapted it into a father-figure and prodigal-son story, a father who is showering the wrong kid with attention and love and feeling that sort of fury, and I found that an easier way in.”
To step into the roles of composers, both Bettany and Sharpe had to learn how to conduct and play instruments.
“We had to learn how to play some piano on camera,” explains Sharpe. “That started for me almost six months ahead of filming. And then we also had to learn how to conduct. Ben Holder, who supervised all the musical aspects of the show, encouraged us to find a style that was a hybrid of period-accurate and modern. Back then, conducting was extremely metronomic and formal, whereas now it’s much more freeform.
While preparing for the role, Sharpe says he found it difficult to build a precise picture of exactly who Mozart was.
“Sometimes I would read that he was a very happy genius, unburdened by his talent,” he explains. “And then, elsewhere, you would read about how he was prone to depression and mood swings and could be sharp in his tone. What was consistent, though, was that there was a great sense of humour and exuberance to him, which is part of what I think is attractive about the role.
“But it’s not just the man, it’s the music itself. Every role before has always been, ‘Who is this person?’ But here you have a wealth of material in his music that has come from within him. And in many ways, that’s been the real guiding light. I could always go to the music to look for answers. It’s so rich and complex.”
Bettany says he was initially scared to take on the role of Salieri, knowing how many great portrayals of the character had come before his.
“I was frightened of playing Salieri because there have been so many great performances by him,” he says. “Paul Scofield and, of course, F Murray Abraham, on film. So there’s that. I was sort of drawn to the terror of not being good enough to do it — which is probably quite revealing about me.”
He adds: “When we meet Salieri, he is a very pious man who believes that music is a gift from God and that he is somehow communicating God’s love to the world through music. He’s the court composer and things are going well. He has huge successes and then, unfortunately, Mozart shows up, who Salieri recognises as a true genius.”
Sharpe adds: “I found myself mostly thinking about it from his perspective. If Salieri sees him as someone to whom music just effortlessly falls, someone who doesn’t seem to put any real work into it, then what does that actually look like, day to day? What does it feel like in reality?”
- Amadeus will launch on Sky and streaming service NOW on Sunday, December 21
