When I discovered that Morricone was going to be performing a concert in Milan on Nov. 19th at the Millennium Forum, I flipped out. Not only has this man been the single most played artist on my iPod, but also the one who practically defined the Western genre. Regardless of whether or not you know who Morricone is by name, I guarantee you've heard his music.
Booking my tickets well in advance, I anxiously awaited the event. I traveled straight to Milan right after class on Friday and arrived fairly early in the afternoon. I took a short nap at the hotel in order to prep for the anticipated event.
The TV in the hotel welcomed me in many languages:
Awesome!
I soon marched forth to the Auditorium, but not before traveling through this scary hallway:
As I arrived at the Millennium Forum, I was happy to see quite a few attendees queuing to pick up their tickets. I joined the line and soon jumped with joy as I was provided with my very own ticket.
I tunneled into the forum, climbed the endless steps, and found myself inside the huge auditorium. I located my precious seat and settled in for what sure to be an unforgettable 2 hours.
Soon the auditorium filled up and before I knew it, the entire auditorium was filled with attendees.
As the clock struck 9, the lights dimmed and with it, the concerto commenced.
First the orchestra took stage and soon followed the man himself, Ennio Morricone, who was welcomed with a resounding applause.
He first began with some earlier works and even conducted riveting pieces I'd never heard before.
Morricone holds a staggering resume, having composed over 500 film and TV productions. If Morricone was to compose his entire career, we'd be here for the next year, so it's only fitting that certain key works be chosen for the concert.
Some certain pieces that I hold dear were left out (Cockeye's Theme or Man with a Harmonica), yet it was understandable.
Before the half-way break commenced, Morricone entered into his classic Western compositions. The first piece he conducted was the ever immortal theme from THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY. Hearing the rousing whistles, tunes, and eccentric sounds from Morricone's orchestra was gorgeous, spectacular, and full of lush color. The unfiltered music beautifully rung through my ears as I observed the maestro enthusiastically conduct his most famous work.
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Afterwards, the orchestra silently paused with Morricone oddly leaving the stage. There was an awkward moment for I'm not sure anybody knew what was going on. Ah, but then suddenly Morricone re-emerged, escorting a very dignified lady on stage. It turns out she is world-renowned Soprano who has sung in Opera houses as The Met, Covent Garden, and La Scala (the homeless shelter), and was going to perform the vocals for the next piece, The Ecstasy of Gold!
Without a doubt, the experience of being able to view Morricone and orchestra perform Ecstasy of Gold is one of the highlights of my entire semester in Italy.
The moving aura of the beautiful vocals, along with pitch-perfect musical cues by the orchestra was both surreal and utterly absorbing. As the piece reached varies climaxes, observing Morricone conduct to the rhythmical tunes of the masterful piece was downright godly. Every subtle gesture and movement from Morricone cued such a grandiose response from his orchestra. Bells were ringing, violinists striking their cords, horns being blown to the height of their apex, along with a choir that rung through the halls of the forum. Yet, it wasn't mad or chaotic. It was strung all together beautifully by the intricate design of Morricone's work.
I was able to encapsulate the moment through the wonderful wonders of technology:
The Ecstasy of Gold
I even remember saying to myself, "this is the greatest thing ever." While the statement may be a wee-bit exaggerated, the emotion and sheer impact it had me on is quite clear.
After having tasted a bit of heaven, I was brought back down to reality when the mid-break commenced.
Anxiously awaiting what other wonders Mr.Morricone had in store for the second part, I remained glued to my seat, staring at the now-empty stage.
Soon, the orchestra returned to the stage, along with the Maestro, to officially begin the second act.
He performed other famous tunes, including pieces from THE UNTOUCHABLES, CINEMA PARADISO, and most importantly, THE MISSION.
While I have yet to see THE MISSION, I was at awe by the swiping musical composition. It's epic, atmospheric and quite spectacular. One thing of note was the final strokes of the piece, where the entire orchestra and choir reached its apex. It was a moment of wonder, visceral emotion, and the perfect fusion of the entire symphony.
After such a rousing finale, Morricone bid the audience adieu and closed his concert. But with a continuous stream of praise and applause from a standing ovation, he returned for three more encores! He returned to play climaxes from The Ecstasy of Gold and The Mission.
Being able to hear these ethereal pieces once again, was the equivalent of revisiting a favorite moment once more.
After the final musical strokes, Morricone and his orchestra took their final bows and officially bid Milano, adieu.
After the concert, with many attendees leaving the forum, I stepped out into the night to find many musicians from the orchestra exiting. I was lucky enough to meet a bass player who signed my ticket.
Wandering around the forum, I soon found myself within the back-stages of the auditorium. Many workers were dismantling the sound and stage equipment.
Weird to see such background work.
I again, returned outside and began heading back to my hotel, when I was stopped by a group of attendees. It seemed one of them was a player in the orchestra and they were all trying to find directions to their hotel. Struggling with my Italian and with them using the little English they knew, we used my iPhone to locate the hotel. Oh the wonders of the iPhone!
After everything seemed in order for them, I asked the musician how it was like working with Morricone. He explained, "We talk and it's very nice. He can be funny on some days we practice, but some days he can be very angry. It depends." I also asked how long they have been rehearsing for this concert. He replied, "We are touring throughout the year, and we practice very much."
When I asked if he could sign my ticket, he responded with a "thank you," and enthusiastically signed it. With many thanks exchanged, we bid each other goodbye and I continued on.
As I strolled back to my hotel, thoughts flooded my mind with what I had just experienced. One of finest, most consistent, and my personal favorite composer had just performed before me. Morricone is a quite old and there are not going to be many opportunities to experience the maestro perform his musical magic. The fact that I was actually able to witness such a rare spectacle is a humbling, thankful, and surreal thought for me. I don't think I'll be able to fully grasp what I witnessed that day.
Top 10 experiences of all time? Maybe, just maybe...
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