Sky’s five-part series Amadeus, starring Will Sharp and Paul Bettany and about the rivalry between composers Mozart and Salieri, has been acquired by Starz for the US.
“Amadeus,” based on the 1979 play by Peter Shaffer and adapted by “Black Dove” author Joe Barton, premiered on Sky in the UK on December 21. The film stars Sharp as the musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Bettany as the jealous court composer Antonio Salieri, and Gabriel Creevey as Mozart’s faithful wife Constanze.
The acquisition deal for “Amadeus” was brokered by NBCUniversal Global Television Distribution, and the series is scheduled to debut on Starz this year.
“‘Amadeus’ is a perfect addition to our original series lineup, a bold, character-driven reimagining of one of history’s most fascinating rivalries,” said Alison Hoffman, president of Starz Networks. “With Will Sharp, Paul Bettany and Gabriel Creevey leading an extraordinary ensemble, this series captures the passion, envy and genius at the heart of Mozart’s world. Audiences continue to be drawn to Starz thanks to the power of premium period dramas, and ‘Amadeus’ delivers in spectacular fashion.”
The show’s official synopsis reads: “No longer a child prodigy but yearning for creative freedom, 25-year-old Amadeus arrives in bustling 18th-century Vienna. His world collides with two important figures: fiercely loyal future wife Constanze Weber and pious court composer Antonio Salieri. While Amadeus’ genius continues to blossom despite his personal demons, his reputation and reputation remain in question.” With skepticism from a conservative court, Salieri becomes increasingly distressed that Amadeus threatens everything he holds dear in life: his talent, his reputation, even his faith in God, and what begins as a professional rivalry becomes a 30-year personal obsession that ultimately culminates in a confession to murder and a desperate attempt to be forever linked to Mozart’s legacy.
In addition to Sharp, Bettany and Creevy, “Amadeus” also stars Rory Kinnear as Emperor Joseph, Lucy Corfu as Cecilia Weber, Jonathan Aris as Leopold Mozart, Any Okoronkwo as Da Ponte, Jessica Alexander as Katerina, Hugh Sachs as von Struck, Paul Bazley as von Swieten and Rupert Vansittart as Rosenberg. Anastasia Martin as Aloysia Weber, Nancy Farino as Josefa Weber, Olivia-Mai Barrett as Sophie Weber, Viola Prettejohn as Princess Elizabeth, and Judah James as Franz Süssmayer.
