HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TECHNICAL CREW WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART was born on Janu- AGE OF REASON, covered about a century and a half Stage Manager................................................... Jessica McRandall THEATRE SHERIDAN PRESENTS ary 27, 1756, in Salzburg, to Leopold and Anna in Europe. It was considered to have begun with Maria Mozart. The last of seven children, only he the close of the Thirty Years’ War (1648) and ended Assistant Stage Manager .................................... Sydney Collet and his sister Marianne (“nannerl”) were to sur- with the French Revolution (1789). Audio Crew ........................................................ Eric Wellman vive past infancy. Young Mozart started playing the The Enlightenment advocated reason as a means piano at the age of three. He began to study music to establishing an authoritative system that would Carpentry Crew .................................................. Ian Barber, Nicholas Cholack, Joshua at four and by six was an accomplished performer allow human beings to obtain objective truth about Chudziak, Matthew Cochrane, Cedric Daros, on the harpsichord, organ and violin. He and his sis- the whole of reality. Enlightenment thinkers argued Jonathan Grosz, Nicholas Matthews, Erikka AmadeuS BY PETER SHAFFER ter went on a series of tours with their father. From that reason could free humankind from superstition Rombough, Eric Ruberto the age of six, Mozart performed across Europe. and religious authoritarianism that had brought Mozart wrote his first opera, Matridate, King of suffering and death to millions in religious wars. Head Electrician ................................................. Andrew Dearden Pontus in 1770, when he was only thirteen. In the The wide availability of knowledge was made Lighting Crew .................................................... Russell Benoit, David Corbacio, Lawrence last six years of his life Mozart created some of possible through the production of encyclopedias, Glover, Carrie McMunn his greatest and most renowned operas includ- serving the Enlightenment cause of educating ing The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and The the human race. The intellectual leaders of the Properties Crew ................................................. Breanna Baker, Leona Czaplinska, Monika Magic Flute. Enlightenment regarded themselves as a cou- Dembowy, Caroline Hunt, Jasmyne Leisemer, Mozart died on December 5, 1791 at the age of rageous elite who would lead the world into Adrianna Marchi, Matthew Pannell, Chelsea thirty-five, amid unsubstantiated rumours of poi- progress from a long period of doubtful tradition soning. He was given a third-class funeral at St. and ecclesiastical tyranny. Reinders, Ellen Roach Stephen’s Cathedral, attended only by a few friends. FREEMASONRY believes their roots to be derived Scenic Paint Crew ............................................... Cristin Barr, Alice Ferreyra, Alana Freistadt, Only a gravedigger was witness to his burial. from ancient associations of actual stonemasons Andrea Harrington, Jacob Gow, Nancy Mozart produced 626 catalogued works, includ- who built such wonders as the cathedrals, abbeys Kapodistrias, Sashin Naidu, Jenna Purnell, ing nearly 50 symphonies, 20 operas, and 23 piano and castles of the Middle Ages. Masons are taught concertos. Of these only a handful were published to follow the Freemason way of life which includes Katrina Sorg, Stephanie Tucker in his lifetime. honoring one’s country, maintaining a honorable Wardrobe Crew .................................................. Alice Barnett, Esther Brown, Hannah Gordon, ANTONIO SALIERI was born to a wealthy merchant lifestyle and also sharing in Masonic activities Shakira Kissoon, Matthew Leckie, Katie Miller, family in Legnago, Italy on August 8th, 1750. His including rituals, events, studies and charity work. father lost his fortune through speculation and a Mozart’s position within the Masonic movement lay Jessica Richard, Bernadette Gall Sperandeo crooked partner, and died in 1765. Salieri thereafter with the rationalist, Enlightenment-inspired mem- Production Assistants ......................................... Andrew McGowan, Jayda Woods left his hometown for Venice, where a nobleman bership, as opposed to those members oriented supported him. In 1766, Florian Gassman, the direc- toward mysticism and the occult. This rational- Technical Assistants ............................................ Michael Coulter, John Page tor of Italian Opera in Vienna, got to know Salieri, ist faction is identified by the Illuminati. They discovered his talent and took him to Vienna. There espoused the Enlightenment-inspired, humanist RUNNING CREW he soon came to be known by major members of views proposed by the French philosophers Jean- the court of Joseph II. Jacques Rousseau and Denis Diderot. The Illuminati After the death of Giuseppe Bonno on April 15, contended that social rank was not coincident with Crew Chief ......................................................... Eric Ruberto 1788, Salieri was appointed First Court Conductor nobility of the spirit, but that people of lowly class Lighting Board Operator ..................................... John Page and at the same time became president of the Soci- could be noble in spirit just as nobly born could be ety of Composers and Musicians. Thus, he ruled the mean-spirited. Audio Playback .................................................. Eric Wellman APRIL 14 – 23, 2011 world of music in Vienna. In 1817, Salieri founded Since the organization’s inception, much of what Stage Hand ........................................................ Jacob Gow the Vienna Conservatoire with Gluck and Hayden. is associated with Freemasonry has been shrouded He produced a voluminous amount of music includ- in mystery. Members are admitted to meetings with Dressers ............................................................. Alice Barnett, Bernadette Gall Sperandeo Director Diana Reis ing operas, oratorios, cantatas, and masses. a grip or secret handshake. The Masons have been Following the emperor’s death, Salieri was freed associated with political scandals, even suggesting Voice Coach ....................................................... Robert Gontier Musical Director Set Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer from his work at the court theatre but kept very they, even suggesting they have behind the scenes Alex Fiddes Denise Lisson David Juby Won Kyoon Han busy as a composer of social and religious music, control of major governments. Proof for this exists Dialect Coach ..................................................... Scott Denton as a conductor and a teacher. In 1821, his health in what theorists see as hidden symbols in seals, Movement Coach ............................................... Marc Richard began to decline and he asked to be pensioned landmarks, works of art and even the American off and relieved of his duties at court; temporarily dollar bill. he seemed to have lost his mind. In 1824, he was Freemasonry still exists in various forms all over Act I is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. retired at full salary, and died on May 7th, 1825. the world, with a membership estimated at around Act II is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT, sometimes called the six million. There will be a 15 minute intermission. DIRECTOR’S NOTES CHARACTERS Since its debut at Britain’s National Theatre relationship to his father. The two characters at ANTONIO SALIERI ......................................Constant Bernard BARON VAN SWIETEN , KATHERINA CAVALIERI, Salieri’s Pupil ......... Christine Vandenberk in 1979, AMADEUS has been one of the the center of our story are locked in a primal Prefect of the Imperial Opera .................... Al Bratz WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART ................. Iain Stewart GIUSEPPE BONNO ..................................... Sean Cage most produced plays in the world. F. Murray confl ict with their fathers. For Mozart, the ‘VeNTICeLLe’, ‘LITTLe WINDS’: Abraham won the 1985 Best Actor Oscar for confl ict is with his real father – Leopold Mozart. CONSTANZE WEBER, WIFE TO MOZART ........ Aly Workman KARL, a Gallant ..................................... Nick Nesbitt Purveyors of information, gossip and rumour: Jocelyn Regina, his performance as antonio Salieri in the fi lm For Salieri, it is his relationship – and bitter JOSEPH II, EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA ............... David Hohl Laurel Denning, Emma Smit, Lena Wiklund FRIEDRICH, a Gallant ................................ Nathan Leung adaptation, which was directed by Milos Foreman disappointment in that relationship – with with screenplay by Peter Shaffer. God that is the cause of both his anger and his COUNT VON STRACK, MAJOR DOMO / DARK MESSENGER ............ Michael Sousa THE CITIZENS OF VIENNA AND SERVANTS: descent into bitter senility. Groom of the Imperial Chamber ............... Sean Blakeley Trevor Curran, Michelle Bouey, Nadya Corscadden, Kyle AMADEUS is the fi ctional account of the SALIeRI’S VALET ........................................ Erik Kopacsi Haycock, Nichola Lawrence, Melissa Peters, Tringa Rexhepi, relationship between two celebrated musicians I want to thank my entire cast for their positive COUNT FRANZ ORSINI-ROSENBERG, SALIeRI’S COOK ........................................ Alycia Novak Brittany Robinson of the 17th century – many believe the best spirits and never ending desire to rise to the Director of the Imperial Opera .................. Matthew Villemaire composer