Sky’s limited series Amadeus will premiere in the U.S. Friday, May 8 on Starz.
Starz acquired U.S. rights to the drama in January in a deal with Sky parent NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution.
Based on Peter Shaffer’s 1979 award-winning play and adapted by Black Doves and Giri/Haji scribe Joe Barton, the series stars Will Sharpe as musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Paul Bettany as envious court composer Salieri. Gabrielle Creevy plays Mozart’s loyal wife, Constanze Weber.
In the five-part period drama, when 25-year-old Amadeus (Sharpe) arrives in bustling 18th Century Vienna, no longer a child prodigy and craving creative freedom, his world collides with two pivotal figures: his fiercely loyal future wife, Constanze Weber (Creevy), and devoutly religious court composer, Antonio Salieri (Bettany). As Amadeus’ brilliance continues to flourish in spite of his personal demons, a questionable reputation and scepticism from the conservative court, Salieri becomes increasingly tormented by this apparent divine gift. Amadeus is a threat to all that he holds dear in life: his talent, his reputation, even his faith in God. Salieri vows to bring him down. What begins as professional rivalry turns into a deeply personal obsession spanning 30 years, culminating in a murder confession and a desperate attempt to entwine himself with Mozart’s legacy forever.
Amadeus also stars Rory Kinnear as Emperor Joseph, Lucy Cohu as Cecilia Weber, Jonathan Aris as Leopold Mozart, Ényì Okoronkwo as Da Ponte, Jessica Alexander as Katerina, Hugh Sachs as Von Strack, Paul Bazely as Von Swieten, Rupert Vansittart as Rosenberg, Anastasia Martin as Aloysia Weber, Nancy Farino as Josepha Weber, Olivia-Mai Barrett as Sophie Weber, Viola Prettejohn as Princess Elizabeth and Jyuddah Jaymes as Franz Süssmayr.
Amadeus is produced by Two Cities Television (part of STV Studios) in association with Sky Studios. The series is executive-produced by John Griffin and Rupert Lord. Megan Spanjian and Paul Gilbert serve as executive producers for Sky, and Michael Jackson and Stephen Wright serve as executive producers for Two Cities Television. Julian Farino (Giri/Haji) and Alice Seabright (Chloe, Sex Education) serve as directors. Barton, Sharpe, Bettany and Farino also serve as executive producers. Seabright serves as co-executive producer. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution oversees international sales of the series on behalf of Sky.