Review: Utah Repertory Theater Company Offers a Virtuoso AMADEUS

AMADEUS, currently presented by Utah Repertory Theater Company, is a captivating drama about art, music, religion, and our relationship with God (amadeus means "love of God"). It asks and answers insightful philosophical questions, all while unraveling a fascinating story of jealousy and intrigue.

The 1979 stage play AMADEUS, by Peter Shaffer, won five Tony Awards, including Best Play. It was followed by the 1984 film adaptation, which won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. AMADEUS begins near the end of the life of composer Antonio Salieri, who claims that he murdered his renowned colleague, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He tells us how it happened, introducing us to the genius buffoon Mozart, his lover Constanze Weber, and the others they interacted with professionally and personally.

The acting of the leading players in the Utah Rep production, directed by JC Carter, is very strong and does justice to the masterful text.

Roger Dunbar gives a virtuoso performance as Salieri. Layered and commanding, it is a performance worthy of the audience's unflagging attention and esteem.

Also wonderfully realized are the characters of Mozart and Constanze, played by Geoffrey Gregory and Merry Magee, respectively. Their portrayals move back and forth adroitly between both the absurdity and misery of the characters' lives.

Highlights of the supporting cast include Jeffrey Owen as Count Franz Orsini-Rosenberg and Greg Carver as Emperor Joseph II.

Although additional attention to detail would have occasionally been welcomed in the costuming, set, and props, this is altogether a handsomely mounted production with many wonderful elements, including some stunning costumes by Nancy Cannon and wigs by Cindy Johnson.

AMADEUS plays at the Sorensen Unity Center Black Box Theater through September 26, 2015. To buy tickets and for more information, visit www.utahrep.org.

Photo Credit: L-R Merry Magee (Constanze), Roger Dunbar (Salieri), and Geoffrey Gregory (Mozart)

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