The Ennio Morricone Experience brings movie magic to Kilkenny

Kilkenny audiences are invited to experience the cinematic beauty of The Ennio Morricone Experience, a spellbinding tribute to the late film composer.

From the haunting melodies of ‘The Mission’ to the iconic themes of ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’, ‘Cinema Paradiso’, and ‘A Fistful of Dollars’, The Ennio Morricone Experience promises an unmissable evening of rich musical storytelling.

READ MORE: Film with Kilkenny links nominated for three awards in LA

The ensemble comprises five acclaimed international solo artists: soprano Katy Kelly, pianist and musical director Annalisa Monticelli, violinist Francesca De Nardi, violist Anne Marie McGahon and cellist Davide Forti. Featured on RTÉ Radio 1 Arena, the Oliver Callan show and more, the quintet have performed to sold-out audiences across Ireland.

Soprano Katy Kelly has sung opera and oratorio internationally and has represented Ireland in many premier competitions, and was a regional finalist at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Awards. She has performed in Carnegie Hall with the Thomas Moore Festival, and is a regular performer at the National Concert Hall, Dublin. She was also featured on RTÉ One TV programmes ‘The Symphony Sessions’ and ‘Abhainn’, and you can hear her on all music streaming platforms. 

The group’s musical director, Annalisa Monticelli, is an internationally recognised musician. Trained in classical and jazz piano, voice, conducting, and composition she brings versatility and depth to her work. Highly sought after as a vocal coach and diction coach, and répétiteur throughout Europe, she is also a faculty member at Maynooth University and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. As a performer, she has appeared in all major Irish venues and toured extensively across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. She has released several CDs, including world premiere recordings, and has just returned from tours and recordings in Spain and Poland.

Italian-born violinist Francesca De Nardi is a double graduate of Trieste’s Conservatorio G. Tartini and Dublin’s Royal Irish Academy of Music and performs widely across Ireland and Europe both as a soloist and as part of the award-winning Sonas Duo alongside The Ennio Morricone Experience’s cellist, Davide Forti. Their appearances include the National Concert Hall, Kaleidoscope Night, and international festivals, earning top prizes at Feis Ceoil and the IMKA International Music Competition. De Nardi has studied with renowned musicians including Daniel Rowland and the Emerson Quartet, and has performed with various orchestras and chamber ensembles across Europe. She teaches violin and piano at the Dundalk Institute of Technology, the Royal Irish Academy of Music and at Music Generation Louth, where she also co-leads a youth orchestral programme with Forti.

Davide Forti is an award-winning cellist who holds a Master’s Degree from the Conservatorio G. Tartini and a Recital Artist Diploma (First Class Honours) from the Royal Irish Academy of Music. A laureate of several national and international competitions, including Feis Ceoil and the IMKA International Music Competition, he has performed widely across Europe and has studied with renowned cellists such as William Butt and Maja Bogdanovic. He performs regularly with leading Irish ensembles, including the Irish National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra, and teaches at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Music Generation Louth.

Violist Anne Marie McGahon is a founding member and managing partner of both the Glas Quartet (Ireland) and Cairn String Quartet (Scotland). Known for her genre-blending style, Anne Marie is the principal arranger and composer for both quartets, creating vibrant playlists that span pop, rock, video game soundtracks, and chart hits. She has recorded and performed with major artists and is currently the violinist and orchestrator for Biffy Clyro.

The group will perform at Kilkenny’s Watergate Theatre on Friday, April 17. Tickets available here.