The new director promises a "spectacular" show at the Queen of the Carnival gala in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife cannot begin without a queen! That's why every year they put on a grand show, which has become one of the most anticipated events. It's a night when fantasy, art, and emotions merge on stage to choose the main star of the festival.

On February 11, 2026, there will be a gala concert where the queen will be chosen. And this year it will have a new artistic director – Daniel Pages. He is a young man from Palma who has organized children's gala concerts and concerts for the elderly for the past two years. Now he is taking on an adult concert, where he wants to combine tradition and modernity to entertain and move the audience.

– What does it mean to you to be the artistic director of the Queen's Gala?

"For me, it's a great honor and a reward for my work on smaller concerts. This was made possible by my team, the carnival organizers, the exhibition center staff, and the companies that participate in the festival. From a professional point of view, it's a big challenge and a little scary, because it's one of the most famous shows in the Canary Islands. Many people follow it and often criticize it more than other events. I want everyone to enjoy it and for the audience to have a good time."

– Do you already have an idea of what the show will be like?

"We have been working on the concert format for several months. We want to keep the main thing, but with the contestants as the focus. This is always talked about, but sometimes forgotten. Of course, television sets its own time limits, but we want there to be noticeable changes and something new to appear. This will be my first year in this position, so the changes will not be radical. But the time for new ideas has come."

– Can you tell us about some of them?

"We will present the contestants in a different way and make a new overture. But the biggest changes will be at the opening of the gala concert. We want to rethink it, because the format allows it. We are currently deciding where it will take place. Most likely, it will be near the Plaza de España, as it was last year."

– Will you use ideas from other gala concerts, or will it be something completely different?

"I want it to be clear over time that this is Daniel Pages' gala concert, that it has my style and that my work is appreciated. I'm not a novice director, but at this level, I am. Now I have new tasks that I didn't have at the children's gala concert, such as a large number of people on stage or the way the contestants are presented."

– The theme of the 2026 carnival will be Latin American rhythms. Will they be the main focus of the gala concert?

"The carnival is already full of Latin American rhythms. We want to pay tribute to the holiday, so we will use this theme to show who we are, but with a modern approach to the gala concert."

– Will there be international guests?

"There have always been star guests at the gala concert, and we are working on it. Ideally, we would like to have not one, but several. We'll see what happens. We plan to invite artists from different countries, from Spain and from the Canary Islands."

– Sergio Macias will also be the stage director for the first time. Have you met yet?

"The stage design is already ready. We had several meetings with the new set designer. They included me, as the director of the Queen's Gala, Paula Alvarez, who will manage the other concerts, and Yeray Piñeiro, who will be responsible for the competitions. It is important to remember that this will be a stage for the entire carnival, not just for the gala concerts. Therefore, it must be suitable for different formats. For the gala concerts, we will keep the central rotating mechanism for the contestants, but we will make some changes on the day of the election."

– Last year, the gala concert was shortened so that the queen would be chosen at midnight. Will it be the same this year?

"We are working on a plan and a script, but I haven't counted the time so that it doesn't limit us. I want the show to last as long as it needs to, so that no good performance is cut out. The main thing is that the gala concert is fast, dynamic and interesting. When the audience likes it, time doesn't matter."

– Is the number of contestants already known?

"Registration is still ongoing. We met with the designers to assess how many applications have been submitted. I think there will be about the same number as last year – about eleven."

– How do you plan to combine a show that is supposed to promote the carnival with what the locals want to see?

"I don't want to make a show just for the residents of Tenerife or foreigners. After all, they are all carnival viewers. If my mother likes the gala concert, then I think someone in Venezuela will like it too. It's an international show, and people are already used to it. I don't feel any pressure because of it."

– Does it help that you were a designer and won with queens in other competitions?

"It's more of an advantage than a disadvantage, because I know what's needed. But now I realize how much needs to be organized for the gala concert. Someone might say that I won't be able to refuse designers because we're friends. But that's not the case. We are friends and colleagues, and I will make decisions taking into account the opinions of all parties."

– Do you miss your work as a designer?

"Less and less, although my fans keep asking me to go back to creating costumes. Maybe someday I'll start making them again, but right now I'm completely focused on the gala concert. If I'm told to go back to the workshop, get the drawings, spread out the feathers and start all over again, I'll have a meltdown. Making a Queen's Gala is not easy, but creating a costume for a contestant is not easy either. It's a difficult job that is never appreciated."

– Did you ever imagine that you would be directing the Queen's Gala?

"When I was little and watched gala concerts, I dreamed of creating a costume. When I won for the first time, I felt like I had achieved my goal. Then we continued to represent the contestants and won several more times. And then I was surprised when I was offered to direct the children's gala concert and the concert for the elderly. I accepted the challenge, but it wasn't my dream. And now I'm very happy with this new dream, because it makes me constantly evolve."

– What do you think is the best moment of the gala concert?

"The coronation. There are many good moments at the gala concert, but none of them compare to the emotions when the queen's name is announced. That's why I want to make this moment even more special. There aren't many ways to change it, but you can decorate it. I can't imagine another way to announce the name of the Queen of the Carnival, but you can make it more solemn."

– Is it worth holding the gala concert at the exhibition center?

"Because of the weather, especially the rain, the exhibition center is the perfect place. As a designer, I never made costumes for outdoor performances, because when I started, the gala concerts were held there. It's quiet and safe here. Of course, the roof limits the possibilities of expanding the stage or using drones, but despite this, it's the best option."

– How would you like this gala concert to be remembered?

"I want it to be remembered as a fun, dynamic, modern and amazing show. A director who does his job well should change something to leave his mark. My dream is to do something new."