Debut at GALA

In October 1990 the Pink Singers became the first European Lesbian and Gay chorus to perform in America when we sang in Miami and West Palm Beach, Florida. Two years later we returned to the US for our first appearance at a Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA) Festival which on this occasion was in Denver, Colorado.

Denver, 1992

But our first port of call was Seattle where on  June 26th/27th we sang at the Seattle Opera House with the Seattle Men’s Chorus, Seattle Women’s Ensemble, Seattle Lesbian & gay Chorus and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus in two special Pride concerts. The concerts climaxed with a joint rendition of “Over the Rainbow”. During this a member of the Seattle Men’s Chorus dressed as Glinda the Good Witch flew across the stage over the heads of the choruses, waved a wand and rainbow glitter fell on all of us.  A coup de theatre!

Left to right: Paul, Richard, Philip, Burt from Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, Tim, Paul

We then flew to Denver to perform at the 4th GALA Festival of Song (June 28th – July 4th). Every four years around 60 choruses from the US and Canada gather and for the first time two European Choirs were invited (the Pinkies and Schola Cantorosa from Hamburg).

These were difficult times with anti-gay legislation and the impact of AIDS hitting us hard both here and in America. Many of the people who sang at this Festival did not survive the impact of the HIV pandemic. That was reflected in the choice of most choir’s repertoire and the joint song was appropriately called “In This Moment”. The Pinkies songs included “We Shall Not Give Up The Fight” (a South African Protest Song) and Tom Robinson’s “Glad To Be Gay”. Our opening number was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Keep It Gay” complete with large pink balloons. At the end of the number we burst the balloons. Inside was rainbow glitter which lit up the stage.  

Singing “In this moment” in Denver, 1992

In times of stress and of joy a bit of glitter is always welcome!

Denver 1992 Closing Party
Timeline datestamp: 28 June 1992