January 27 marks the birhday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. On this occasion, we are taking a closer look at the history of one of the most famous conflicts of the music world associated with his name: the story of Mozart and Salieri. Their relationship was portrayed, among others, in the 1898 opera Mozart and Salieri by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov and in Amadeus, a 1984 film by Miloš Forman. Antonio Salieri is depicted as Mozart’s rival, envious of his talent and career, and as his murderer. The foundations for this legend of hatred were laid by Alexander Pushkin in his 1830 play Mozart and Salieri.
But what was the truth? Take a look at the facts and the myths!
Fact: Salieri enjoyed great success at the Viennese court until Mozart’s debut. His compositions accompanied all the most important state ceremonies.
Myth: The composers wanted nothing to do with each other. In reality, many sources indicate that Salieri supported Mozart, performed his works, and conducted premieres of his operas.
Facts: Salieri composed almost twice as many operas as his rival. He left behnid 40 operatic works, while Mozart composed 22.
Fact: Antonio was a highly respected teacher of some of the greatest figures in music history. His composition students included Franz Schubert, Ferenc Liszt and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Myth: Salieri poisoned Mozart. The composer confesses to this in the film Amadeus. He reportedly admitted it thirty years after Mozart’s death while in a state of mental breakdown; however, no historical evidence points to murder.
Fact: Wolfgang Amadeus was hailed as a musical genius; Antonio was not. In spite of that, Salieri was a highly respected pedagogue and musician, serving as a royal composer and Kapellmeister.
Myth: Salieri refused to draw inspiration from his rival’s works. In fact, his operas from the 1780s show noticeable parallels with Mozart compositions, stemming from mutual influence and collaboration with the same singers and librettists.
Fact: Pietro Metastasio created librettos for operas of both Antonio (Semiramide) and Wolfgang Amadeus (including La clemenza di Tito). Moreover, he supported Antonio from the very beginning of his music career in Vienna.
Myth: Salieri’s work was not as innovative as that of Wolfgang Amadeus. In reality, Antonio was open to modern concepts. He even gained a reputation as the leading continuator of Gluck’s opera reforms.
As you can see, the inage of the relationship between Mozart and Salieri shaped by modern interpretations differs from reality and is surrounded by the aura of mistery and ambiguity. At the same time it has also contributed to the popularization of Salieri and his works, which are worth remembering. More interesting facts from the lives of both composers can be found in the PWM Encyclopedia.
Sources:
- Article „Antonio Salieri. “Był pozbawiony skrupułów”, ale czy zabił Mozarta? [in:] https://polskieradio24.pl/artykul/1436519,antonio-salieri-byl-pozbawiony-skrupulow-ale-czy-zabil-mozarta [access: 27.01.2026]
- Article „Konflikt konkurentów” [in:] https://www.polskieradio.pl/24/291/Artykul/167540,Konflikt-konkurentow [access: 27.01.2026]
- Article „Wizerunek artysty – Mozart i Salieri” [in:] https://kulturanacodzien.pl/wizerunek-artysty-mozart-i-salieri/ [access: 28.01.2026]