by Julian Hassi McLean High School
As the final note of a sensational concerto resonates through the air, whispers bounce off the walls. Hushed but frantic utterings of “Salieri” and “poison” cloud the space with mystery. The lights dim, and Meridian High School’s production of Amadeus begins.
Written by Peter Shaffer in 1979, Amadeus was such a success it earned it a Tony Award and a movie adaptation. Amadeus tells an exaggerated tale of composer Antonio Salieri’s one-sided rivalry with the legendary Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Salieri struggles to face his self-perceived mediocrity and sabotages Mozart’s budding career.
Summoned by the murmurs, Salieri (Mia Schatz) emerged from the shadows. With expert annunciation, Schatz launched into an intense narration of Salieri’s obsession with Mozart.
Salieri shifted between narration and memories as he recalled each encounter he had with Mozart. Schatz smoothly switched between obvious disdain when addressing the audience and contrived cordiality when speaking directly to Mozart. Schatz demonstrated great resilience, particularly in an ability to memorize extensive amounts of dialogue. Throughout his performance, successfully conveyed both Salieri’s inner and outer conflicts, highlighting immense amounts of insecurity.
Tormenting Salieri’s memory with his talent was Mozart (Will Albaugh). To truly emulate Mozart, Albaugh mastered the arts of piano and conducting. He flawlessly executed these skills onstage, performing breathtaking solos and leading the orchestra with grandeur. Albaugh’s mannerisms conveyed his boyish inelegance, contrasting the proper, elitist individuals he was surrounded by. Despite his clumsiness when interacting with the high-class, Albaugh delivered his lines with conviction that proved he knew exactly who he was; no amount of discouragement or failure could sway the fact that his brilliance was unlike any seen before.
Wide-eyed and sick with love was Constanze (Ella Stearns), Mozart’s fiancée. Her playful physicality and cheeky line delivery made her a great match for Albaugh’s impishness. Together, they rolled around onstage, which resulted in some rather public displays of affection. As the play progressed, their dynamic shifted, and tensions rose. Albaugh and Stearns began to speak bluntly to each other, seemingly forgetting how infatuated they had been before.
Framing the actors with platforms and fully functional box seats, the set, built by the Meridian Technical Theater Class, transported the audience into a classic eighteenth-century European opera house. A platform in the back helped to specify when characters were performing. The box seats allowed the cast to play with levels as the audience shifted focus between different locations onstage. Decorated with elegant shades of red, brown, and black, the set was polished to perfection.
Hair and makeup were organized by Lauren Lewin and Tabby Hermann, who managed over 25 wigs. Almost every actor and orchestra member had a stylized eighteenth-century wig, ensuring nobody looked out of place in the era. Putting the orchestra in wigs kept the story consistent with its setting, helping them blend in with the actors.
After the bone-chilling sounds of the chorus and orchestra weaving together during Mozart’s “Requiem” filled the space, Salieri and Mozart had taken their final descent into madness. The lights came back on, and the audience sat with the aftermath of Salieri and Mozart’s physiologically harrowing relationship. Intoxicating, thrilling, and just the right amount of horrifying, Amadeus at Meridian High School was a one-of-a-kind performance.
