Naman Shrestha
In ‘The Choral,’ Ralph Fiennes stars as Dr. Henry Guthrie, a determined, disciplined chorus master who is newly appointed to a British choral society in Ramsden, Yorkshire, in the midst of World War I. As the society’s male members enlist in the war and lose their lives, the choral society recruits new local young males to bring Edward Elgar’s ‘The Dream of Gerontius’ to life under the guidance and direction of Dr. Guthrie, who appears to be hiding a secret.
As the conscription papers arrive, the young boys and the rest of the community realize that singing is the best response to all the commotion and destruction left by the war. With Nicholas Hytner at the helm, the British historical drama movie also features other renowned names in the industry, including Alun Armstrong, Roger Allam, Robert Emms, Simon Russell Beale, and Mark Addy. The musical tale set during wartime unfolds in the fictional town of Ramsden in 1916, transporting viewers to World War I through accurate visual depictions.
The Choral Filming Locations
The shooting for ‘The Choral’ took place entirely in England, particularly in the ceremonial county of West Yorkshire. From what we can tell, principal photography for the period drama got underway in late May 2024 and went on for a couple of months before wrapping up in July of the same year. After the release of the movie in theaters, Oliver Briscombe, who portrays Lofty, shared a few words of gratitude for being a part of the project. He wrote, “This whole experience has been nothing short of incredible, from working with such a talented cast to learning from the hardest-working crew on this film. I can’t wait for you to meet Lofty and see what we’ve created.”
West Yorkshire, England
To paint the visual canvas of ‘The Choral,’ the filming unit made the most of the diverse landscape of West Yorkshire, situated in England’s Yorkshire and the Humber region. To be specific, the Victorian model village of Saltaire served as one of the prominent production locations for the Ralph Fiennes starrer. Transformed into the fictional town of Ramsden, many of Saltaire’s shops in Victoria Road were given vintage makeovers, with one of the shopfronts being renamed Ramsden Post Office. The factory scenes were reportedly shot at Salts Mill, a former textile mill on Victoria Road.
Moreover, the cast and crew members took over the Grade II-listed Victoria Hall for shooting purposes. The popular Leeds and Liverpool Canal near Saltaire also features in the backdrop of various exterior scenes. In the city of Bradford, the production team taped many pivotal sequences involving trains at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. They made the most of the locomotives and carriages of the Vintage Carriages Trust and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust. The train station scenes were reportedly lensed at the Keighley railway station. For the purpose of shooting, the makers also traveled to other locations across West Yorkshire, including the town of Halifax.
For instance, the filming unit set up camp in and around the Big Six Inn at 10 Horsfall Street in Halifax to record key pub scenes for the historical film. In addition, Denton Hall on Denton Road, in the civil parish of Denton, located just outside West Yorkshire, also hosted the production of ‘The Choral’ as it doubled as the Convalescence hospital. As for the Millpond swimming scene, it was shot at Gibson Mill on Midgehole Road, near the market town of Hebden Bridge. Furthermore, the Churchill Suite and Montpellier Suite at the historic Crown Hotel were transformed into a dining room and office, respectively, for the drama movie.
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