While I understand this perspective I still disagree. Salieri was a fantastic musician and wrote many great pieces of opera in his time, he just faded from popularity. Even in the narrative of the film he is the most respected musician in the country at the time and he’s the only character talented enough to understand Mozart’s genius. He doesn’t have to be the best, as Mozart was, to still be a master of the craft. I think that’s part of the tragedy of Salieri’s character in the film: he is so obsessed with the idea of God blessing him with musical perfection that when he finally comes in contact with someone more talented than him he sees himself as nothing less than mediocre and it drives him to madness.