in.
He's plotting with the maid.
Trio turns into quartet.
Then a stupid old gardener comes in.
Quartet becomes quintet,
and so on and on and on...
...sextet, septet, octet.
How long do you think
I can sustain that, Majesty?
I have no idea.
Guess.
Guess, Your Majesty.
Imagine the longest time that such
a thing could be sustained...
...and then double it.
6?
7 minutes.
8 minutes?
20, Sire!
20 minutes!
20 minutes of continuous music.
No recitatives!
Sire, only opera can do this.
In a play, if more than one person
speaks at the same time...
...it's just noise.
No one can understand a word.
But with opera, with music...
With music you can have 20 individuals
all talking at the same time...
...and it's not noise.
It’s a perfect harmony!
Mozart, music is not
the issue here.
No one doubts your talent. It’s your
judgment of literature that's in question.
Even with the politics taken out, this
thing would still remain a vulgar farce.
Why waste your spirit on such rubbish?
Surely you can choose
more elevated themes.
Elevated!
What does that mean, elevated?
I am fed to the teeth
with all these...
...elevated things.
Old dead legends.
Why must we go on forever...
...writing only about gods and legends?
Because they do.
They go on forever.
At least what they represent:
the eternal in us.
Opera is here to ennoble us, Mozart.
You and me,
just the same as His Majesty.
Come on now, be honest!
Which one of you wouldn't rather listen
to his hairdresser than Hercules?
Or Horatius or Orpheus.
People so lofty, they sound
as if they shit marble!
What!
Govern your tongue, Mozart,
how dare you!
Forgive me, Majesty.
I’m a vulgar man.
But, I assure you,
my music is not.
You are passionate, Mozart...
...but you do not persuade.
Sire, the whole opera is finished.
Do you know how much
work went into it?
His Majesty has been...
...more than patient.
How can I persuade Your Majesty
if you won't let me show it?
That will do, Herr Mozart.
Just let me tell you
how it begins.
May I just do that, Majesty?
Show how it begins?
Just that.
Please.
There's a servant down on his knees.
And do you know why?
Not from any oppression, no.
Because he's measuring a space.
Do you know what for?
His bed.
His wedding bed.
To see if it will fit!
-5.
-Late!
-10.
-Late!
On the beat.
-20.
Good!
-30.
-Yes!
-36.
-Yes!
43.
Early!
Well...
Mozart is already rehearsing.
In that case, gentlemen, I think...
...I think we should help Mozart
all we can.
And do our best to protect him
against the emperor's anger.
What anger?
About the ballet.
What ballet?
Excuse me, but...
...didn't His Majesty
specifically...
...forbid the ballet in his opera?
Mozart.
Herr Mozart!
-Yes.
A word with you, please.
Certainly, Herr Direktor.
Now!
Now, Herr Mozart!
Five minutes, please.
Five minutes!
Yes.
Do you not know that His Majesty has
expressly forbidden ballet in his operas?
Yes, but this is not a ballet,
it's a dance at Figaro's wedding.
Exactly. A dance.
Surely, His Majesty didn't mean
to prohibit dancing...
...when it's part of the story,
Herr Direktor.
It is dangerous to interpret
his Majesty's edicts.
Give me the score, please.
Thank you.
What are you doing,
Herr Direktor?
What are you doing?
Taking out what you should
never have put in.
Please.
I have no one else to turn to.
What is it?
It’s unbelievable.
The Direktor has actually torn up
a huge section of my music.
They say I have to rewrite the opera.
But it's perfect as it is.
I can't...
...rewrite what's perfect.
Please.
Can't you talk to him?
Why bother with Rosenberg?
He's obviously no friend of yours.
I could kill him.
I mean, really! Kill him!
I actually threw the entire score
in the fire, he made me so angry.
You burned the score?
No, my wife took it out in time.
Thank God.
It’s not fair that a man like that
should have power over our work.
But there are those who
have power