Scene 1 - The Massacre
At this time, nearly 2000 years before our own, the reigning Pharaoh in Egypt is named Seti. The Hebrew people are reduced to slavery, but they continue to increase in numbers. Worried about this growth, Seti orders the midwives to kill each male newborn Hebrew.
Scene 2 & 3 - Je laisse � l'abandon / Il s'appellera Mo�se
Yok�bed has a son, and she manages to hide him for some time. However, during a raid, she is forced to get rid of him in a hurry, so she trusts him to the Nile. She leaves him in a basket among the reets of the river, and watches to see what will become of him. At this time, Bithia, Pharoah's daughter, is also by the Nile, and discovers the child in the basket. She takes him from the water, and decides to adopt him.
Scene 4 - S�thi and his Empire
Seti allows Bithia to adopt the boy, whom she decides to name Moses. Rameses, Pharoah's own son, and Moses become like brothers.
Scene 5 - Le dilemme
Nefertari is an Egyptian princess. She comes between Moses and Rameses, and her heart cannot choose between the two.
Scene 6 & 7 - Disagreement / A chacun son r�ve
Pharoah must designate his successos, and he chooses Rameses. But, he also names Moses as Grand Architect of Eypt. His role is as essential as his brother's, since this is a time of huge construction projects, which still today proclaim the glory of Egypt.
Scene 8 & 9 - The Jewish people / La peine maximum
The Hebrew people slave on these work-sites where life is very hard. Moses is the master here and supervises the construction, witnessing the afflictions of the Hebrews.
Scene 10 & 11 - En cadence / Je n'avais jamais pri�
One day, Moses sees an Egyptian hit a Hebrew, and attempts to intervene. In the fight that follows, he kills the Egyptian, and learns that he is one of the Hebrews.
Scene 12 - Le proc�s
Moses is exiled by Pharoah for the murder, and journeys into the desert.
Scene 13 & 14 - Sans lui / Oh Mo�se
Yok�bed, his natural mother, and Bithia, his adopted mother, his secret love Nefertari and his sister Myriam all lament Moses' departure. Pharoah dies, overwhelmed by the decision he had to make and the suffering it caused in those around him. Rameses becomes Pharaoh.
Scene 15, 16 & 17 - La rencontre / Il est celui que je voulais / Les mariages
Near a well, Moses defends the daughters of a priest who were attacked by nomads. Having won their confidence, and that of their father Jethro, Moses marries one of them, Zipporah, during a huge celebration in colors and song. During this time, Rameses marries Nefertari in his palace, with all the trappings of a royal marriage.
End of Act One
Scene 18 - Celui qui va
Moses has become a shepherd, and one day as he tends his flock on Mount Horeb, God appears to him in the form of a burning bush, which never consumes itself. God entrust to him the mission of removing his people from Egypt and into the Promised Land.
Scene 19 - Mais tu t'en vas
Moses makes the return trip to Egypt and the construction sites, where he seeks the Hebrew people.
Scene 20 & 21 - C'est ma volont� / Laisse mon peuple s'en aller
Rameses reigns as master in Egypt, and makes life hard for the Hebrew slaves who work on his buildings. His ambition is limitless, and therefore he will not hear the calls for freedom from the slaves. At least, not until the return of his brother Moses, metamorphosized by his divine encounter, who becomes the spokesman of his people.
Scene 22 - A chacun son glaive
Thus begins a clash between the two brothers, one supported by his people, the other by his army. Their ambitions and their paths are completely opposite.
Scene 23 - Les dix plaies
Refusing all offers, and not listening to Moses, Rameses weilds his power. Moses calls to God, who brings down ten plagues upon Egypt. The water of the Nile turns to blood, frogs fall from the sky, flies invade the country, locusts destroy the crops, disease decimate the flocks, fire burns the earth, hail ravages the harvests, all the people were struck with boils, and darkness covered all the land. These are the first nine plagues of Egypt.
Scene 24 - L'inacceptable
The tenth plague is the death of all newborn Egyptians, among which is the young child of Rameses and Nefertari. Overcome, Rameses allows Moses and his people to go.
Scene 25 - LIBRE
The free Hebrew people set out towards the Promised Land, led by Moses. Yok�bed, Bithia, Myriam, his brother Aaron, and his disciple Joshua are at his side.
Scene 26 - Devant la mer
But the Hebrews come up against another insurmountable obstacle - the sea. Moses works a miracle, waving his staff over it, causing the sea to part to allow the Hebrews to pass through, but returning to submerge the Egyptian army in pursuit.
Scene 27 - Mon fr�re
Separated forever, the two brothers Moses and Rameses rediscover their love for each other, which they will never be able to express.
Scene 28, 29 & 30 - Une raison d'esp�rer / Le veau d'or / Les dix commandements
Moses goes up Mount Sinai, where God again appears to him. The Hebrew people grow worried without him, and build themselves a golden calf to worship instead. Moses returns, bringing with him two tablets, on which are engraved the Ten Commandments.