The 97th Oscar gala will feature live performances of 'Wicked', an emotional musical number dedicated to Los Angeles, and a tribute to Quincy Jones, as revealed by the ceremony producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan to EFE.
'This year is a bit more about the love for cinema, and one of those musical moments will touch on the theme of Los Angeles, the city that we love so much and what has happened here. We want to celebrate that we are the heart of Hollywood, where so much cinema is produced,' Kapoor expressed in solidarity with those affected by the recent fires in the city.
The gala will also highlight the reconstruction efforts following the fires that impacted areas such as Palisades and Altadena. The producers faced challenges in organizing the musical numbers for this edition, having to rethink the ceremony to give more focus to the 23 award categories that will be presented.
Therefore, decisions were made such as removing live performances from the best original song category, focusing on the composers rather than just the songs, as Kapoor explained. Instead of live performances, a 'beautiful film' showcasing the composition process of the original songs in a unique way will be presented.
Additionally, it has been confirmed that there will be powerful musical numbers at the gala, with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo starring in a tribute to 'Wicked' and Queen Latifah participating in a posthumous tribute to Quincy Jones. The gala will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles this coming Sunday, with the film 'Emilia Pérez' being the most nominated of the night with 13 nominations.
