Racial Dynamics: The Casting of Lucian Msamati as Salieri in the National Theatre’s 2016 Production of Amadeus

Abstract

This article examines the casting of Lucian Msamati as Antonio Salieri in the 2016 production of Peter Shaffer’s 1979 play Amadeus by the National Theatre in London. This was the first time an actor of colour had played the role of Salieri in a professional production of Shaffer’s drama. How did the casting affect interpretation of the play? And what was its cultural significance in the context of current debates about demographic representation in classical music and efforts to diversify the art form and its practitioners? In order to answer these questions this article examines statements made by the production team, theories of casting, and documented responses to Msamati in this role, including professional reviews and comments made online. The article reveals a complicated picture with regard to the efficacy of this casting choice, highlighting limitations and missed opportunities for deeper engagement with the history and politics of race in classical music whilst acknowledging the positive aspects of the casting and its potential for beneficial social impact. In doing so, this article demonstrates the importance of thinking across different types of representation in both cultural production and analysis: specifically, demographic representation in classical music (i.e., whom it represents and who is missing or under-represented in its practices) and the artistic representation of classical music, specifically, in this case, in theatre.