What Happens at the End of Moses and Aaron?

While a number of fine recordings of Moses und Aron exist, this unique DVD of the opera makes a staging of the work accessible, with a variety of camera angle, including a judicious mixture of close-ups and longer shots of the stage. The recording is all the more remarkable for its origins in a live performance, since audience sounds are almost negligible in the DVD. It is an exemplary presentation that merits attention for conveying the opera well. With the stage details intact, and the wide-angle shots planned to make the best use of the stagecraft, the Nickler production, prepared for television by Claus Viller, is a fine example of filmed opera. The sound is quite fine and brings across the nuanced direction of Daniele Gatti, whose efforts join the ranks of other fine interpreters of this work, including Pierre Boulez and Georg Solti.

Reto Nickler's narrative builds toward a resolution centered on Franz Grundheber's journey. The recording is all the more remarkable for its origins in a live performance, since audience sounds are almost negligible in the DVD.

How Does Franz Grundheber's Story End?

• Franz Grundheber: Franz Grundheber's storyline wraps up in the final act, though some viewers have found the resolution more ambiguous than expected.
• Thomas Moser: Thomas Moser's role in the climax proves pivotal to how the central conflict resolves.
• Ildikó Raimondi: Ildikó Raimondi's character undergoes a significant shift in the final act.

What Does the Ending of Moses and Aaron Mean?

The ending of Moses and Aaron brings the narrative to a close, though viewer reception has been mixed. The resolution of Franz Grundheber's story may not satisfy all audiences.