The organizers can call a gala concert events that differ significantly in content. However, it is not difficult to single out a number of features that allow us to unambiguously classify festive events in this category.
The secret of the name
The term “gala concert” is a direct translation of the French expression concert de gala. And in this language the second part of the name came from Greek. The word χαλοσ (in Russian it sounds like "halo") is a specific phenomenon of nature when light is refracted and repeatedly reflected in tiny ice crystals. When there is a large accumulation of such crystals in the frosty air, the rays of light form a circular glow around the Sun or Moon and even draw twins of the luminaries in the sky. A person can see how two more luminous balls appear to the left and right of the Sun or Moon. The phenomenon looks so unusual and colorful that its name has become in a figurative sense a particularly impressive solemn event.
The mark "gala concert", as a rule, means that the holiday will be held on a grand scale, magnificently and colorfully. For such events, the organizers occupy the largest venues available to them: concert halls, large theaters, stadiums, sports complexes, city squares, etc. Since the name of the format itself comes from an impressive optical illusion, gala concerts use a large number of light, sound and other effects to create a special atmosphere.
What are gala concerts?
Most often, the final celebrations of various creative festivals and competitions are held in the form of gala concerts. At the same time, winners of vocal, dance and similar competitions are selected for performance. At the same time, the program can be supplemented by a potpourri from the favorite numbers of the public, even if their performers did not receive prizes.
Examples of such concert events are, for example, the gala concerts of the Student Spring Festival. Moreover, the final holiday at the level of an individual educational institution is also a qualifying round for a regional competition, so the lucky winner of the first stage does not always get a ticket to the next level.
Another option for a gala concert is a gathering of many stars on one stage under a motto or in honor of a certain date. Such performances happen on Victory Day, on New Year's holidays, they can also be arranged in order to popularize a television channel or radio station in order to attract new fans. For example, in the summer of 2018, a gala concert of world opera stars was held in Moscow, which was dedicated to the World Cup in Russia.
A separate topic of gala concerts is dedicated to the anniversary or memory of the famous artist. In this case, the invited stars perform their numbers in honor of a certain person. So, if a gala concert is held to congratulate a choreographer, his students will perform on stage and demonstrate the dances he has staged in different years. And to honor the pop star, fellow artists often perform their versions of numbers from the repertoire of the hero of the day.
