Set in 1823 and 1791 the play tells the story of Salieri who insists that he murdered Mozart. As a boy Salieri did a deal with God, in return for sufficient fame he promises he will honour God with music all the days of his life. His career flourishes accordingly as he finds favour with the emperor, until Mozart appears on the Viennese scene. As soon as he hears it Salieri realises that Mozart’s music must be divinely inspired and his own mere compositions are shown to be courtly trivia. He determines to separate Mozart the God from Mozart the man.

That the voice of God can speak through the music of such a repellant and infantile man is more than Salieri can bear, surely divine inspiration needs a respectable mouthpiece. Surely Art is respectable.

The play follows Mozart’s rise and fall and Salieri’s descent into desperation as he tries to come to terms with his deal with God.

If Salieri can’t write such wonderful, joyous music then nor will anybody else.