Hollywood Symphony Orchestra returns to Reus after controversial Christmas tour

The performance at the Teatro Fortuny comes with expectations of improved artistic quality following 151 complaints registered at the Liceu.

Una orquestra simfònica genèrica actuant en un teatre amb focus, sense cares reconeixibles.

Una orquestra simfònica genèrica actuant en un teatre amb focus, sense cares reconeixibles.

The Hollywood Symphony Orchestra performs today, January 7, at the Teatro Fortuny in Reus featuring soundtracks by John Williams and Hans Zimmer, following the controversy generated by its 2025 Christmas tour.

The controversial 2025 Christmas tour, featuring the same repertoire, triggered an avalanche of criticism and public complaints across several theaters in Spain. The most notable case occurred at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, where 151 formal complaints were registered due to the low artistic quality.
The management of the Liceu acknowledged that the result had been “far below expectations.” According to various media reports, the problems stemmed from poor organization: the orchestra was formed by musicians unfamiliar with each other, with minimal rehearsals, and incomplete sections, especially in key areas for film music like percussion or low strings.
These deficiencies caused strong disappointment, with repeated complaints about poor tuning and lack of cohesion. In some instances, concerts were even offered without instruments essential for the announced repertoire, leading some venues to cancel scheduled performances within the same tour.
Despite this history, the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra resumes the program in Reus. The concert offers a journey through the best-known scores by John Williams —such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Harry Potter— and Hans Zimmer, with titles like Gladiator, Piratas del Caribe, The Dark Knight, or The Lion King.
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