Ennio Morricone: 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' composer dies at 91, grieving fans mourn 'incredible loss'
Oscar-winning composer Ennio Morricone has died at age 91. He passed away in the early hours of Monday, July 6, at a clinic in Rome where he was admitted to shortly after suffering a fall that resulted in a fractured hip, according to his lawyer Giorgio Asumma in a statement to Italian news agency ANSA. After news of his death broke, fans all over the world, including Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, have been mourning the loss. Conte's tweet read, "We will always remember, with infinite gratitude, the artistic genius of the Maestro #EnnioMorricone. It made us dream, feel excited, reflect, writing memorable notes that will remain indelible in the history of music and cinema."
A fan tweeted, "Such an incredible loss. But great music and great masters never die. Rest in peace, Maestro Ennio Morricone". While another wrote, "Wow... Carl Reiner, and now Ennio Morricone. Two genuine giants in their respective fields. Morricone created some of the most iconic music in cinema...& undoubtedly the best Western soundtracks we will ever hear...period." Another tweet read, "Sad to hear the great Ennio Morricone passed away at the age of 91. The Italian Maestro has gifted the world with his music over more than 60 years. I feel so privileged to have seen him twice in London and experience first-hand the magic of his work."
Some of his film-score classics include 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' and 'Once Upon a Time in the West' as well as the widely acclaimed 'The Mission' and 'Cinema Paradiso' of the 1980s. The six-time Oscar-nominated composer was presented with an honorary Oscar in 2006 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for “his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music.” This made him the second composer in Oscar history to receive an honorary award for his body of work that spanned five decades wherein he composed scores for over 500 films and television shows. In 2016 he won an Oscar for his score for Quentin Tarantino’s film 'The Hateful Eight', at the time becoming the oldest person ever to win a competitive Oscar, reports Deadline.
According to Variety, Morricone conducted concerts of his own music around the world, including a remarkable American debut at New York’s Radio City Music Hall in 2007. Although he was scheduled to conduct at the Hollywood Bowl in 2009, the event was canceled and he never returned to LA. Morricone is survived by wife Maria Travia and their four children.