Bel Canto or May a Hooker Sob?

This stylized satire, inspired by Heinrich Mann’s novel ‘A World Reception’, sheds light on the ominous alliance of money and culture. An unsuccessful theatre manager tries to raise money for a new opera house (thereby also securing his own career) at a gala with personalities from the cultural and financial world. But he fails miserably. Cult performers such as Kurt Raab, Udo Kier, and Romy Haag, and the film’s expressive black-and-white images, exaggerated gestures, and a cappella singing, offer viewers an unusual cinematic experience.