Halleluja!
Meeting and competing in 23 categories in Cincinnati, Ohio at the “World Choir Games” from the 4th to the 14th July will be approximately 250 choirs from more than 90 different countries. Attending the games in the category Gospel and Spirituals will be the 60-voice choir “Rejoice,” which hails from the little town of Langenberg in Westphalia/Germany. For choir director Roland Orthaus, the trip represents the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. He plans to lead the choir to victory, and rejoices over the journey to the “roots of gospel” – although he realizes that competition will be intense.
This is a film about the passion for singing and the dynamics of the microcosm that is a choir. In the foreground are the singers themselves, people between 17 and 60 years of age who interrupt their normal daily lives, leaving their occupations and everyday concerns behind in order to join together in a place that has become a source of strength and joy. Presented are these individuals and their personal lives, as viewers learn where they come from and what it means for each of them to take part in this singular trip. We witness their excitement, there anticipation, their anxiety. Viewers will get caught up in the drama and at the same feel reassured by the choir director’s dedication and that of his protégés. Playing the main role is not just the musical presentation, but above all the people behind the music. We accompany the choir on a journey which will remain an unforgettable experience for all of the participants – an adventure whose outcome remains uncertain.
