London_ Madrid Philharmonic Orchestra. In tribute to the legendary Oscar-winning composer and maestro Ennio Morricone, the Madrid Philharmonic Orchestra invites you on an evocative journey through 100 years of cinema at the Barbican tomorrow at 16:00 pm. This performance celebrates a man whose melodies didn’t just accompany films—they defined them.
The Legacy of “The Maestro”
Ennio Morricone (1928–2020) was a titan of 20th-century music. Over a career spanning seven decades, the Italian composer wrote more than 400 scores for cinema and television. He famously redefined the Western genre through his collaboration with Sergio Leone, moving away from traditional orchestral swells to include whistling, gunshots, and the haunting “wah-wah-wah” of the coyote howl in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
His legacy is one of unmatched versatility and innovation. Morricone was a master of “absolute music,” believing that a film score should be able to stand alone as a masterpiece outside of the theatre. From the experimental avant-garde sounds of his early thrillers to the deeply emotional, lyrical compositions of The Mission and Cinema Paradiso, his work has influenced generations of composers and contemporary artists across all genres, from Hans Zimmer to Metallica. Throughout his life, he received two Academy Awards—an Honorary Award in 2007 and Best Original Score for The Hateful Eight in 2016—cementing his status as a global musical icon.
The Conductor: Fernando Furones
Both performances tomorrow at the Barbican Hall will be led by the Spanish conductor and composer Fernando Furones.
Background: Furones is a graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he studied film scoring and graduated summa cum laude.
Expertise: As a film composer himself (winning the 2016 RNE Award for Isla Bonita), he brings a deep, technical understanding of cinematic structure to the podium.
Style: He is known for his radiating energy and a presence that keeps the orchestra and audience engaged through complex, multi-film repertoires.
<The concert is a curated journey through a century of cinematic history, featuring his most legendary scores alongside other Hollywood masterpieces.
The Morricone Selection: Iconic themes from the "Dollars Trilogy" (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars), the sweeping melodies of The Mission and Cinema Paradiso, and the tension-filled score of The Hateful Eight.
Wider Cinematic Scope: The program also celebrates other giants of the genre, including John Williams (Star Wars, Harry Potter), Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, Interstellar), and James Horner (Titanic).
Founded over 20 years ago, the Madrid Philharmonic Orchestra performs regularly at some of the most prestigious venues in Spain and has worked with celebrated musicians including Krystian Zimerman, Nicola Benedetti, Alexei Volodin, Boris Andrianov, Radovan Vlatkovic, and Maxim Rysanov.
Venue: Barbican Hall, Silk Street, London.
Tickets: As of today, the Morricone matinee is largely sold out, with only limited lateral or obstructed view seats occasionally reappearing on the Barbican ticket portal.
https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2026/event/madrid-philharmonic-orchestra-100-years-of-cinema