The chords of the iconic Hedwig’s theme, suspended and delicate like the flapping of wings, were enough to bring the magic of Harry Potter into the room. And while the film began on the large 12 meter screen on the backdrop, with a shot of Rufus Scrimgeour, minister of magic, the real protagonist of the evening was the Italian Cinema Orchestra.
A formation of 80 musicians, directed by maestro Benjamin Pope, who performed Alexandre Desplat’s timeless soundtrack live in perfect synchronization with the screening of the last chapter of the Harry Potter saga “The Deathly Hallows”.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in concert
After the premiere in Italy which took place in Rome, the film-concert arrived in Milan on Saturday 27 December, at the TAM Teatro Arcimboldi with two performances also on Sunday 29, with the Italian dates presented as a national exclusive by Music Village/Forum Studios with the executive production of Marco Patrignani, founder and president of the Italian Cinema Orchestra.
“We want you to let yourself go and applaud your favorite characters and moments” began maestro Pope, greeting the audience that filled the hall, before the concert began. Winner of the International Film Music Critics Award, the World soundtrack award and the Satellite award for Best Original Score, Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat has created an intense and refined score that transports audiences into the heart of Harry’s adventures as the much-feared war in the wizarding world begins.
The dates represented an absolute preview event for Italy, awaiting the Rome Film Music Festival, the international event dedicated to the world of soundtracks and its protagonists which will see its fifth edition in Rome in March 2026.
“With Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 we are approaching the culmination of an extraordinary journey which has also profoundly marked the history of our orchestra” explained Marco Patrignani. “We are proud to be part of this official project, which has enchanted millions of spectators around the world, and which enthusiastically continues its journey towards the fifth edition of the Roma Film Music Festival, scheduled for March 2026”.
A film that never ceases to enchant and surprise and which on Saturday evening, in the unusual screening-concert, with the live soundtrack, thrilled the audience, with a unique and engaging experience that only ended at the last note, at the end of the credits. At that point, when the instruments stopped, the long applause began.
