The Gala Concert for the 1st of December stems from an initiative from the 1st of December Movement, organised by the Historical Society of the Independence of Portugal, and it is part of the Portuguese celebrations of the 1st of December. Performed by Banda da Armada, whose conductor is frigate captain and musician Délio Gonçalves, the concert will consist of musical pieces created exclusively by Portuguese composers, paying tribute to Portugal’s spirit, freedom and independence, on the occasion of the 1640 Restoration of the country’s independence. This was an original idea by José Ribeiro e Castro, founder and overall coordinator of the 1st of December Movement, which was established in order to advocate for the national bank holiday and to improve the celebrations around the date. For the first time this year, the Gala Concert will take place at Teatro São Luiz, and, as has been the case since 2021, it will be supported by EGEAC and the Lisbon City Council.