Le Maryaj Lenglensou

The documentary begins with a history lesson: once upon a time, Haiti was called the pearl of the Antilles. After the uprising of African slaves in 1804, it became the first free black state in the world. Nowadays, Haiti is a poor, corruption-ridden country. Filmmaker and narrator Hans Fels has been visiting the island for years and looks beyond this negative image. To him, the Haitians are masters in the art of living. The biggest ray of hope is the uncompleted opera Le Maryaj Lenglensou by local composer Ipharès Blain. He is an elderly man who still believes in his opera, but lacks the means to realise it. On the documentary maker's initiative and supported by the Dutch Foundation Doen, the opera was put on in 2006, after all. Without further comment, the film follows the auditions of musicians, the rehearsals led by a Dutch conductor and the eventual performances at beautiful, exotic locations. With this opera production, Haiti's rich musical past briefly revives.