• Daniel Daréus is a successful and renowned international conductor whose life aspiration is to create music that will open people's hearts. His own heart, however, is in bad shape. After suffering a heart attack on stage at the end of a performance, he retires indefinitely to Norrland in the far north of Sweden, to the village where he endured a terrible childhood of bullying.

Daniel buys the old elementary school in the village, and soon after is asked to come along one Thursday night and listen to the local choir. He is only asked to listen, and maybe offer some helpful advice, but their intentions of persuading him to help are obvious. He eventually agrees to help, albeit reluctantly. The parish minister offers him the position of cantor. He accepts and sees the choir grow and develop, rediscovering his own joy in music.

• Almost immediately, Lena an attractive young girl in the choir, catches his attention. As they grow closer and fall in love, he realises that he is surrounded by the villagers' personal problems.

1. Inger , is married to the respected minister, Stig , but has failed to develop a loving sexual relationship with her husband.

2. Siv , is so obsessed with morality that she cannot enjoy herself.

2. Arne , is so ambitious for the choir's success that he obsesses over tiny mistakes, failing to see that he is making bigger mistakes himself.

3. Tore , is mentally handicapped and shunned but is eventually included in the choir;

4. Holmfrid , has put up with being called "Fatso" by Arne since childhood and eventually stands up to him

5. Gabriella , is beaten and abused by her husband, Connie , a fact that is known and ignored by the whole village. She eventually finds the strength to leave him, as the whole village finds its strength to help her.

Connie himself turns out to be the bully who was at school with Daniel and drove him from the village. He blames the choir and Daniel for his wife's decision and beats him up. This lands Connie in jail. The minister, Stig, is jealous of the choir's success and tries to close it down. His failure precipitates his eventual nervous breakdown. Heart after heart opens, as it had always been Daniel's dream.

• The choir is accepted into the annual "Let the Peoples Sing" competition, and they journey to Innsbruck, Austria to perform. Lena fears Daniel will leave her for his sophisticated friends from the music world. They argue, make up

• . On the day of the competition, the choir is ready on stage but Daniel is nowhere to be seen. His heart has been affected by his anxiety, and he has another heart attack. Daniel staggers into the restroom, unsure of how to handle the situation, then stumbles and hits his head on the pipe below a sink, causing him to bleed severely.

• He lies helplessly on the tile, blood gushing from his head, listening to the choir harmonising over the loudspeakers. The audience in the auditorium is enchanted and sings along. Daniel smiles to himself and then dies, completely fulfilled by reaching his goal.

• The final scene shows Daniel rushing towards his younger self as he embraces his life's goal, to "create music that will open a person's heart

THEMES.

1. Individuals striving for self-realisation (identity)2. Authority versus non-conformity3. Power of charismatic leaders (charming leader)4. Realism versus idealism5. Effect of family pressure6. Individual n society . 7. Importance of education . 8. True education. 9. Emotions over mind.

10. THE TRANSFORMING /CATHARTIC EFFECT OF MUSIC. 11. FOLLOWING ONES INSTINCT12. HAVING A PASSION FOR LIFE AND MAKING THE MOST OF

EVERY MOMENT. 13. MEETING DEATH FEARLESSLY. 14. THE POWER OF UNITY & SUPPORT. 15. INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM IMPORTANT FOR SOCIETAL

FREEDOM.16. EXTERNAL ISSUES DUE TO INNER VOID. 17. INTERNAL CONSCIOUSNESS AWAKENING OVER EXTERNAL

RULES.