Amadeus returns to the National after 37 years

As part of Rufus Norris' inaugural season at the National, he has announced a programme of diversely cast plays, including this brand-new revival of Amadeus with colour-blind casting. Last seen on the NT stage in 1979 when it premiered, Amadeus explores the stormy relationship between aging court composer Antonio Salieri and genius young upstart Mozart. Salieri will be played by British-Tanzanian veteran actor Lucian Msamati (Game Of Thrones).

Peter Shaffer's celebrated 1979 play starred Paul Scofield as Salieri and a very young Simon Callow as Mozart, enjoying what is possibly the greatest commercial success of their stage careers to date.

God was his sole witness....

The action takes place in period Vienna where the aging Antonio Salieri is court composer to the capricious emperor. Looking back on his younger self, he remembers the all-consuming jealousy he felt when the prodigious Mozart arrived on the scene. Forced to admit that his own work next to the newcomer's looked below par, we follow his agony as he plots the downfall of his rival over the composition of the Requiem Mass, for which he takes credit. But did he actually kill the young genius?