From the vantage point of an insane asylum, aged composer Salieri recalls the events of three decades earlier, when the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first gains favor in the court of Austria's Emperor Joseph II. Salieri rues the fact that his own music never rises above mediocrity, and he remains permanently incensed that God would bless so vulgar and obnoxious a young whippersnapper as Mozart with divine genius. Why is Salieri--so disciplined, so devoted to his art, and so willing to toady to his superiors--not touched by God? Unable to match Mozart's talent, Salieri uses his influence in court to sabotage the young upstart's career. Disguising himself as a mysterious benefactor, Salieri commissions the grueling "Requiem," which eventually costs Mozart his health, wealth, and life.