ASO and Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus to celebrate Pride with the magic of Disney

Throughout the performance, eight members of the chorus will also share personal stories of how Disney songs have impacted lives.

“Disney’s stories of transformation and chosen family and the triumph of love and authenticity really resonate with LGBTQ+ people,” said David Aurilio, executive director of Voices of Note, the nonprofit that encompasses both Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus and Atlanta Women’s Chorus.

“The music is filled with messages of hope and identity and freedom … they’re like anthems for us.”

Credit: Courtesy of Voices of Note

Credit: Courtesy of Voices of Note

For example, “Hercules” is the tale of one courageous man’s determination to be accepted.

“He would give up all of his strength to have somebody that would just love him for who he is,” said Aurilio.

The lyrics from “Mulan” strike a chord: “When will my reflection show who I am inside?”

“That’s the most trans positive song ever,” said Aurilio.

Then there is the misunderstood bell-ringer Quasimodo from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

“He’s talking about regular people and he says ‘If I was in their skin, I would treasure every instant,’” Aurilio said. “Those are the kinds of things that when you are going through a journey of self-discovery — as we all go through in our lives, but especially LGBTQ+ people — these songs really resonate for us.

“Before we could even put it into words and even know what was happening for us, (these songs) gave us some permission to have strength and courage to keep going.”

Credit: Courtesy of Voices of Note

Credit: Courtesy of Voices of Note

For Aurilio personally, the Disney music transports him back to a time decades ago when he worked for Disney as a character actor playing Prince Charming. Ordinarily, he didn’t get much attention as the prince, overshadowed by the princesses he escorted like Snow White and Cinderella. But when Disney started hosting Gay Days in 1991, an annual event at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, he got his time to shine.

“When I was there for the first gay days at Disney, which has now become a staple at Disney World … for the first time I got the attention. I was the one that people wanted my autograph and wanted to get their picture with,” he remembers fondly.

While “Disney Pride” will celebrate national Pride month, Aurilio notes that the performance is fun for all.

“Kids just love it because they know the music and it’s familiar to them. They don’t really care who’s singing the solo. They just want to dance around,” he said. “It’s meant for all ages, young, old, everybody’s going to love it.”

The ASO and Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus are two of Atlanta’s longest-standing cultural institutions. ASO celebrated its 80th anniversary during its 2024-2025 season, while Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus is entering its 45th year.

The chorus launched in 1981 just as the gay rights movement was gaining momentum. Founding artistic director Jeffrey McIntyre and 45 gay men were in the inaugural chorus. Since then, the chorus has tripled in size and shared the stage with numerous notables including Maya Angelou, the Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Ballet and the International Gay Men’s Chorus of Paris.

Aurilio said partnering with ASO for a performance like this is a triumph and an opportunity to gain a wider audience.

“(The collaboration)? validates us,” he said. “Their audience is not our audience necessarily … people that come to hear the symphony or might like Disney can hear the gay men’s chorus and say ‘Wow, these are really great voices.’ … I’m hoping we can build bridges instead of walls.”

If you go

“Disney Pride in Concert.” 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE. General admission is $35. Students, seniors and veterans are $20. voicesofnote.org.