The fifth episode of Amadeus picks up six months after the demise of Salieri, as Constanze receives a visit from the renowned writer Alexander Pushkin. Pushkin, eager to bring to life a play on the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, seeks details on the composer's demise—a tragic end marked by a severe fever that many whispered was the result of foul play. This whisper, attributed directly to Salieri's confession in his asylum days, piques Pushkin's interest, fueling his determination to push forward with his play, a tale ripe for the stage. Constanze maintains a stoic exterior as Pushkin unloads his ambition.
As we delve deeper into the narrative, we discover that Mozart's illness is shrouded in mystery—a haze of speculation that ranges from epidemic diseases to military exposure and even medical malpractice. The show, however, opts for a more elusive "illness," leaving room for imagination.
Salieri, driven by his obsessive need for revenge, finds inspiration in Don Giovanni's legacy. Night after night, he haunts Mozart in his mask, taunting and teasing him with his presence. On the other hand, Salieri plays the role of a "friend," feigning to fight on Mozart's behalf with the Brotherhood, though in reality, he stands idly by, gleefully watching as Mozart's world crumbles around him.
When Catarina is brought in to witness Mozart's state, Salieri proudly announces that The Magic Flute continues to play on in the opera house. He decides to bring Mozart out of hiding, parading him around in his feverish state like a prize. The entire scenario has been transformed into a cruel jest, with Mozart forced to watch his play while utterly consumed by fever and disorientation. He is no fool, however; he knows Salieri's game all too well.
In the heart-wrenching drama that unfolds, Salieri experiences a profound epiphany. As Mozart confronts Salieri for his deceptive games, the veil is lifted, revealing Salieri's bitter truth—that he finds Amadeus's music abhorrent, in stark contrast to his own divine compositions. This oxymoron has been a source of immense pain for Salieri, whom he sees as a provocateur.
As Salieri sinks deeper into despair, Mozart reaches out to him, encouraging him to embrace the truth. As they sit together, Salieri finally hears the music that has haunted Mozart throughout his life. Upon handing over Mozart's final masterpiece, the Requiem, Salieri realizes the error of his ways.
Having written music alongside the greatest composer of all time, he realizes that his entire life, blinded by anger, he had been eclipsed by his own inadequacies, seeking petty justifications.
Amadeus's fate is one of tragic irony. When Constanze discovers the truth, she is shocked and mourns for her husband. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is eventually buried and laid to rest. Salieri, who composed Mozart's final piece for his Wake, is clearly not the killer. He has been mired in Amadeus's shadow all this time, clinging to faint memories of a man he once admired.
Constanze refuses to accept Salieri's confession and eventually sends him away. He is taken to an asylum, plagued by crazed visions of being adored by applauding fans. Back to Alexander Pushkin, he witnesses the records and the six mourners present at Mozart's funeral—Salieri among them. Now, at Salieri's funeral, there is a special piece placed—a Requiem composed jointly by Mozart and Salieri.
"What is the truth?" Pushkin asks. Constanze hands over a letter, promising that the truth will die with her but giving the greenlight for the play to go ahead. Thus, Amadeus is born—a poignant testament to the human condition and the relentless pursuit of art in the face of adversity.
