AMADEUS

Role: Scenic Designer

Location: Catawba Theater, UNCSA

Director: Quin Gordon

Music Director: Mark Norman

A play by Peter Shaffer which gives a fictional account of the lives of composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri.

This play set in Vienna during the latter half of the 18th century, follows the life of Court Composer Antonio Salieri, as he debates the god who he had once revered - vowing to destroy god’s musical vessel Mozart, in the name of fame and prosperity. Salieri’s destructive nature leads to a path where he is forced to watch his world crumble around him - becoming forgotten as his deceased rival becomes legendary.

We chose to create a space that reflected the beauty of the 18th century, embracing trompe-l'œil techniques and the dynamism you find in classical Baroque art - while simultaneously hinting at its eventual destruction. Framed by a live twenty piece orchestra, amplifying the tone and mood of scenes - we see the deterioration of a man through divine retribution, and the world around him becoming a metaphor for what his life represented.

Technical Direction: Emmy Babyak

Costume Designer: Cassandra Sisson

Scenic Paint Charge: Tess Crabtree

Wig and Makeup Design: Nova Cunningham

Lighting Designer: Elijah Thomas

Photography by Gisela Estrada & Allison Isley