Kunst und Populärkultur im Film: Amadeus

Lecture and Film Series in Cooperation with the Institute for European Art History and the Department of Romance Languages at Heidelberg University during the summer semester of 2026

Miloš Forman’s 1984 American film drama “Amadeus,” meanwhile, takes us into the realm of music and, in the form of an adaptation of a stage play about Mozart’s life, tells the story of one of the most popular composers of all time. Classical music is portrayed here as the pop culture of its time, and the film simultaneously illustrates how artistic inspiration, rivalry, and social conflicts can be interdependent.

AMADEUS

Date: July 8, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Host: TBA

GB/I/D 1984 | Director: Miloš Forman | 123 min. | FSK 12

Eight Oscars and the zeitgeist of bringing those sanctified by religion back down to earth helped the passionate satirist Forman popularize a demystified image of Mozart. The life of the brilliant composer, told from the perspective of his eternal rival, Antonio Salieri, who—now tormented by guilt—has ended up in an insane asylum. He sees Mozart as a big baby who, unlike himself, composes brilliant music and thus poses a threat to his own career… In this visual and auditory feast—praised by critics as a “magical” work and perfectly balanced in rhythm and tempo—Forman breaks with the traditions of classic biopics and portrays Mozart as a superstar, which in turn inspired one of his contemporaries: “Rock me, Amadeus!” (Florian Widegger)