Ennio Morricone cancels New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City concerts due to back injury

Ennio Morricone has canceled concerts in New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City due to a back injury suffered earlier this year.

The Italian film composer is renowned for his work on spaghetti westerns such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West.

The show at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on June 15 was set to be his first performance in the city.

In a statement Ennio Morricone apologized to fans, saying he was “extremely disappointed”.

“I was very much looking forward to my first Los Angeles performance and only my second New York City performance,” said Ennio Morricone, who was also scheduled to perform at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on June 13 and in Mexico City on June 18.

“Hollywood has been instrumental in bringing my work to American audiences, and my 2007 performance in New York was one of the high points of my career to date,” he continued.

“I apologize to my fans for having to cancel these shows, and hope that I am able to make it back soon.”

Ennio Morricone was expected to conduct his own 100-piece orchestra during the performances and would have been accompanied by a 75-voice choir in LA.

The singers were informed on Sunday that the show had been cancelled, according to Variety magazine, due to Ennio Morricone’s “serious health issues”.

According to Deadline Hollywood, Ennio Morricone’s lawyer has revealed that the injury prevents him from conducting or flying.

Ennio Morricone previously postponed a series of April dates in Europe with “great disappointment”, following medical advice after a recent “back procedure”.

They were rescheduled for June, July and October, with the first due to take place in Cologne on June 22. It is not yet known if these dates will go ahead.

According to the LA Times, Ennio Morricone had said he would continue to compose while he recovers.