Gay Men's Chorus of South Florida (GMCSF) takes the stage for the first time in the Au Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, June 19, with “Invincible.”
The concert event honors ten years of remembrance since Pulse and the enduring power of the human spirit, and features a world premiere composition written by Saunder Choi, Amor Eterno: A Requiem for Pulse. Guest artists include international classical singers Elisse Albian and Enrico Lagasca, the Symphony of the Americas, and singers from the Orlando Gay Chorus, the Gay Men's Chorus of Tampa Bay, and Miami Gay Chorus. Coinciding with Juneteenth, the program also celebrates ongoing fights for freedom and equality, fostering community solidarity. Featuring over 200 voices, “Invincible” aims to inspire and bring together supporters and allies alike.
The world premiere of "Amor Eterno: A Requiem for Pulse" is a newly commissioned work by acclaimed composer Saunder Choi. Choi describes it as "a celebration: of life, of queer spaces, and the strength, beauty, and endurance of the queer community."
Choi is a Los Angeles-based Filipino Chinese composer, 2024 ACDA Raymond Brock Prize winner, and 2014 American Prize winner for Choral Composition. His works have been performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Conspirare, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, and The Pacific Symphony. His film credits include “Disney's The Lion King,” “Mulan,” and “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
Choi recalls his thoughts about being asked to write a major piece to commemorate Pulse, “I immediately thought of a requiem. A requiem is traditionally a mass for the dead and their eternal rest. Brahms’ Requiem is about the living; it takes on a very humanist perspective. For me, that was the inspiration, that’s where I took a cue.”
Choi continues, “I worked with four poets to shape the libretto. We interviewed one of the mothers [of a Pulse victim] and one of the poets, Andrea Assaf, who is an Orlando resident, took the title of her solo piece from one phrase a mother kept repeating, ‘Grieve with love, not hate.’ I discovered through watching documentaries and news reports that grief never really goes away but transforms. I gave the poets the text to Brahms’ Requiem, with notes on what I think the themes are. In the creation of this piece, I wanted to extend the universality so that choruses that might not identify as LGBT would perform it.”
The four poets represent queer voices of color whose writing spans grief, memory, the sacred power of the dance floor, and a collective vision of what comes after. The final movement, a collaborative culmination from all the writers, signals something vital: that healing is not a solo act. The work unfolds across seven movements, each carrying its own poetic voice and emotional arc: "How Beautiful Is Our Mourning" by Leo Herrera, "Who Has Planted Their Flesh in the Ground" and "Always Belonged to the Dance," by Brian Sonia-Wallace, "I Tilt My Head to the Heavens" and "No Los Olvidemos," by Amir Rabiyah, "Grieve with Love, Not Hate," by Andrea Assaf, and "A Vision of Heaven," by Herrera, Sonia-Wallace, and Assaf.
The second half of “Invincible” rises into a celebration of strength and joy, featuring anthems such as Katy Perry's "Roar," "Stand Up," "Lift Every Voice and Sing," and Beyoncé's "Freedom," that speak directly to the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. Anchored by the concert's title song, "Invincible," made famous by Kelly Clarkson, this powerful set reminds audiences that our community has faced hatred, fought for equality, and emerged stronger. Tickets are available at BrowardCenter.org, GMCSF.org, or Ticketmaster.
