a harem, Majesty. In a seraglio.
- You mean in Turkey?
- Yes, exactly.
Then why especially
does it have to be in German?
It doesn't, especially. It could be
in Turkish if you really want.
No, my dear fellow, the Language
is not finally the point.
Do you really think that subject
is appropriate for a national theater?
Why not? It's charming.
I mean, I won't actually show
concubines exposing their...
It's not indecent.
It's highly moral, Majesty.
It's full of proper German virtues.
Excuse me, Majesty, but what
do you think these could be?
Being a foreigner, I'd love to learn.
Well, tell him, Mozart.
Name us a German virtue.
- Love, sire.
- Oh, love!
Of course, in Italy
we know nothing about love.
No, I don't think you do.
Watching Italian opera,
all those male sopranos screeching
stupid, fat couples rolling their eyes
about. That's not love. It's rubbish!
Majesty, you choose the Language.
I'll set it to the finest music
ever offered a monarch.
Well, there it is.
Let it be German.
This is yours.
Keep it.
It's already here in my head.
What? On one hearing only?
I think so, sire. Yes.
Show us.
The rest is just the same, isn't it?
That doesn't really work, does it?
Did you try...?
Shouldn't it be a bit more...?
Or this?
This. Yes.
Better? What do you think?
Grazie, Signore.
All I ever wanted
was to sing to God.
He gave me that longing
and then made me mute. Why?
Tell me that.
If he didn't want me
to praise him with music
why implant the desire
like a lust in my body?
And then deny me the talent?
Madame Cavalieri is here
for her lesson, sir.
Maestro.
Well... ?
How do you like it?
It's Turkish.
My hairdresser said everything
this year's going to be Turkish.
Does he?
What else did he tell you today?
Come, come! Give me some gossip.
Well, I heard you met Herr Mozart.
News travois fast in Vienna.
And he's been commissioned
to write an opera. Is it true?
- Yes.
- Is there a part in it for me?
- No.
- How do you know?
- Do you know where it's set, my dear?
- Where?
In a harem.
- What's that?
- A brothel.
Come.
Let's begin.
- What does he look like?
- Mozart?
- You might be disappointed.
- Why?
Looks and talent don't always
go together, Katerina.
Looks don't concern me, maestro.
Only talent interests
a woman of taste.
Shall we continue?
There she was.
I don't know where they met or how.
There she stood!
On stage, for all to see.
Showing off like
the greedy songbird she was.
Ten minutes of ghastly scales.
Arpeggios!
Whizzing up and down
like fireworks at a fairground.
Understand, I was
in love with the girl.
Or at least in Lust.
And I swear to you,
I never laid a finger on her.
All the same, I couldn't bear
to think of anyone else touching her.
Least of all, "the creature. "
Brava, madame!
You are an ornament to our stage.
Your Majesty.
Well, Herr Mozart. A good effort.
Well, decidedly that.
An excellent effort!
You have shown us something
quite new tonight.
It is new.
- It is, isn't it, sire?
- Yes, indeed.
So then, you liked it?
You really liked it, sire?
Well, of course I did! It's very good!
Of course, now and then,
just now and then
it seemed a touch
What do you mean, sire?
Well, I mean, occasionally,
it seems to have
How shall one say... ?
How shall one say, direktor?
- Too many notes, Majesty?
- Exactly. Very well put.
- Too many notes.
- I don't understand.
There are just as many notes
as I required, neither more nor less.
My dear fellow, there are in fact
only so many notes
the ear can hear in an evening.
I think I'm right in saying that,
aren't I, court composer?
Yes. On the whole, yes, Majesty.
This is absurd!
Young man, don't take it too hard.
Your work is ingenious.
It's quality work.
And there are simply too many notes.
Just cut a few and it'll be perfect.
Which few did you have in mind?
Wolfgang!
Wolfgang, my dear!
- Wolfgang!
- Majesty, this is Frau Weber.
She's my