Heaven and Earth
Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra
Children's Choir Juan Bautista Comes
Orfeó Universitari de Valencia
Catriona Morison, mezzo-soprano
Adam Fischer, conductor
Mahler — Symphony No. 3
INDIVIDUAL TICKET SALES: Starting 30 July 2026.
DÜSSELDORF SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Düsseldorfer Symphoniker performs primarily at the Tonhalle concert hall and the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, as well as on international tours dedicated to promoting music and culture. Thanks to these activities, Düsseldorf has strengthened its reputation as a renowned cultural city.
In the 18th century, composers such as Handel and Corelli worked at the “Düsseldorfer Hofkapelle” court orchestra until its dissolution. In 1818, the founding of the municipal music association gave rise to an orchestral culture in Düsseldorf, attracting major musicians including Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann. However, it was not until 1864 that the City of Düsseldorf’s official orchestra was established — one of Germany’s oldest symphony orchestras.
Over time, it evolved into one of the country’s principal and largest orchestras, led by distinguished conductors such as Heinrich Hollreiser, Eugen Szenkar, Jean Martinon, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Henryk Czyz, Willem van Otterloo, Bernhard Klee, David Shallon, Salvador Mas Conde, John Fiore, and Andrey Boreyko.
Maestro Adam Fischer has served as Chief Conductor since 2015.
In 2011, the orchestra toured Spain; in 2012, it participated in the “Beethoven Easter Festival” in Poland and performed in Moscow.
In 2014, its musicians made their debut at Vienna’s Musikverein; in May 2015, they launched a nine-concert tour in Tokyo.
In 2017 and 2018, the orchestra was invited to Arnhem (Netherlands) and Moscow, as well as to Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw.
In 2018 and 2019, the orchestra performed in Budapest, followed by a successful five-concert tour across Spain.
Two Mahler symphony recordings under Adam Fischer’s baton received prestigious awards in 2019: Symphony No. 1 won the BBC Music Magazine Award, and Symphony No. 3 received the Opus Klassik Award.
ADAM FISCHER, CONDUCTOR
Born in Budapest, he later studied conducting and composition in Vienna with Hans Swarowsky. In 1973, he shared first prize at the Cantelli Conducting Competition in Milan. He subsequently held positions at the Graz, Karlsruhe, and Freiburg opera houses, where he served as General Music Director. His collaboration with the Vienna State Opera also began that same year.
From 1987 to 1992, Fischer was Music Director of the Kassel Opera. In July 1989, he founded and conducted the first Gustav Mahler Festival in Kassel — serving as both founder and Artistic Director. For this festival, he created a new orchestra and secured substantial support from the German government. The festival continues to flourish today.
He regularly conducts opera productions at the Zurich Opera House with international artists including Thomas Hampson, Edita Gruberova, and Cecilia Bartoli. Recent seasons featured Haydn’s *L’anima del filosofo*, Rossini’s *La Cenerentola*, Cimarosa’s *Il matrimonio segreto*, and a televised revival of his highly acclaimed *Linda di Chamounix* starring Gruberova.
In January 1997, Fischer brought the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra to Athens for a full production of Verdi’s *Macbeth*.
He has conducted many leading international orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonic, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and Bamberg Symphony.
He maintains a close artistic partnership with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. His first Japanese tour took place in 1984; he has returned regularly ever since. Fischer made his debuts with both the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1984, and that same year toured the United States with the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra.
In 1987, Adam Fischer founded the Haydn Austro-Hungarian Festival and Orchestra in Eisenstadt, Austria — he remains its Music Director today. The festival is now internationally established and attracts top orchestras, ensembles, and soloists from around the world.
With the Haydn Austro-Hungarian Orchestra, Fischer is currently recording the complete Haydn symphonies for Nimbus. He has also recorded for CBS, EMI, Hungaroton, and Delta. His BBC television film of Bartók’s *Bluebeard’s Castle*, performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, won the 1989 Premio Italia and the Royal Philharmonic Society & Charles Heidsieck Award for BBC Radio/TV/Video.