Moses and Aaron (1975)
"Moses und Aron" (original title)

Directors:

Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub

Writer:

Arnold Schönberg (libretto)

Stars:

Günter Reich, Louis Devos, Eva Csapo

Cast

Cast overview:
Günter Reich	...	Moses
Louis Devos	...	Aron
Eva Csapo	...	Junges Mädchen (as Eva Csapò)
Roger Lucas	...	Junger Mann
Richard Salter	...	Anderer Mann
Werner Mann	...	Priester
Ladislav Illavsky	...	Ephraîmit
Elfriede Obrowsky	...	Kranke (as Friedl Obrowsky)
Helmut Baumann	...	Tänzer
Jürg Burth	...	Tänzer
Nick Frarrant	...	Tänzer
Wolfgang Kegler	...	Tänzer
Michael Molnar	...	Tänzer

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

moses | egypt | brechtian | german opera | opera | 

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Genres:

Music | Drama

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Details

Country:

Austria France West Germany Italy

Language:

German

Release Date:

5 October 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Moses and Aaron

Filming Locations:

Alba Fucens, Massa d'Albe, L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

DEM 720,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF), Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (ARD), Hessischer Rundfunk (HR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original German version of the film was dedicated to Holger Meins, the former cinematography student who joined a West German terrorist group in the early 1970s and died on hunger strike in prison. This dedication was censored by German broadcasters for the film's first transmission in 1975. It should be noticed that the contrast between ideology and actions has a key role in the film, like in Arnold Schönberg's opera.

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Crazy Credits

Für Holger Meins, J.M.S. und D.H.

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Connections

Edited into Proposta in quattro parti (1985)

User Reviews

Uncompromising

Schoenberg's music will not be to all tastes, but I bought the Michael Gielen / ORF soundtrack recording after seeing this film, something I didn't do after viewing The Lion King or Titanic. Gielen, incidentally, is Schoenberg's son-in-law.

I found this production riveting with intense performances from the two principals. An austere staging suits the score.

I would love an opportunity to see this film again. Any chance that Cinematheque Ontario will reprise their Opera As Cinema series? The other films in the series to rival Moses and Aaron in quality if not in style were Katerina Izmailova, Boris Godunov, and Tales of Hoffman.

Schoenberg returned to the faith of his forefathers after experiencing persecution at the hands of us Christians. He really came back with a vengeance.