Invincible Honors Pulse Victims Through Music, Remembrance and Community
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
A decade after the Pulse nightclub tragedy, the Gay Men's Chorus of South Florida brought remembrance, reflection and hope to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts with Invincible, a concert that honored the 49 lives lost while celebrating the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community.
At the heart of the evening was the world premiere of Amor Eterno: A Requiem for Pulse, a newly commissioned work by composer Saunder Choi. Before the performance began, audience members heard from Artistic Director Gabe Salazar, Choi and Pulse survivors Jorshua Hernandez-Carrion and Jeff Xavier, who shared their experiences and reflected on the lasting impact of the tragedy.
Inspired by Brahms’ A German Requiem, Choi’s composition incorporated original poetry by several contemporary writers. Its title also drew from Juan Gabriel’s beloved ballad Amor Eterno, reflecting the significance of Latin Night at Pulse, when many of the victims were killed. One of the evening’s most memorable visual moments came as portraits honoring each of the 49 Pulse victims gradually formed a single mosaic across the stage. The image remained in view throughout the rest of the performance, keeping the focus on the lives being remembered.
The performance brought together singers from the Gay Men's Chorus of South Florida, the Orlando Gay Chorus, the Gay Men's Chorus of Tampa Bay and the Miami Gay Chorus. During the fourth movement, a slowly rotating disco ball served as a quiet reminder of the nightclub where the tragedy unfolded.
Soprano Elisse Albian and bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca joined the Symphony of the Americas for the premiere. Audience members were also invited to write messages for victims' families and survivors, while donor-supported tickets allowed many people directly affected by the tragedy to attend the performance.
The evening also brought together organizations and community leaders from across South Florida. Among them was YES Institute, whose Executive Director Joseph Zolobczuk described the concert as one of the most meaningful performances he had attended and praised the sense of community the evening fostered.
The evening concluded with contemporary anthems celebrating hope, perseverance and unity. Songs including Katy Perry's "Roar," Cynthia Erivo's "Stand Up," Kelly Clarkson's "Invincible" and Gloria Estefan's "Get On Your Feet" had the audience do just that during the concert's finale.
Ten years after Pulse, Invincible served as both a tribute to the 49 lives lost and a celebration of a community that continues to find strength, healing and hope through music.