Details

1916. Yorkshire. In the thick of World War I, the quiet village of Ramsden becomes a place suspended between dread and duty. So, when the Ramsden Choral Society loses nearly all its men to the Western Front, The Choral asks: what happens to a town when the simple act of singing becomes a lifeline in the face of fear and uncertainty?

Anchored by the arrival of formidable new choirmaster Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes) - a man whose years in Germany spark as much suspicion as curiosity - the choir embarks on a journey to stage an unprecedented performance of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius. Against a backdrop of the slow arrival of conscription papers, the choir discovers that harmony can be a lifeline when war threatens to drown out everything else.

The Choral is written by Alan Bennett and directed by Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys, The Lady in the Van) and stars Ralph Fiennes (28 Years Later, Schindler's List, Conclave), Roger Allam, Simon Russell Beale, Thomas Howes, Mark Addy, Alun Armstrong, Robert Emms, Emily Fairn and Amara Okerek. It's produced by Eva Yates, Caroline Cooper Charles, Paul Grindey, Charles Moore, Phil Hunt and Compton Ross.

Synopsis

1916. As war rages on the Western Front, the Choral Society in Ramsden, Yorkshire has lost most of its men to the army. The Choral's ambitious committee, determined to press ahead, decides to recruit local young males to swell their ranks. They must also engage a new chorus master, and despite their suspicions that he has something to hide, their best bet seems to be Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes) - driven, uncompromising, and recently returned from a career in Germany.

As conscription papers start to arrive, the whole community discovers that the best response to the chaos that is laying waste to their lives is to make music together.

The Choral is released on DVD and Blu-ray 9th March 2026 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.