Heaven and Earth
Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra
Children's Choir Juan Bautista Comes
University Choir of Valencia "Orfeó Universitari"
Catriona Morison, mezzo-soprano
Adam Fischer, conductor
Mahler — Symphony No. 3
Individual tickets go on sale from 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 aimed at promoting music and culture. Thanks to this, Düsseldorf has earned a reputation as a renowned cultural city.
In the 18th century, composers such as Handel and Corelli worked at the “Düsseldorfer Hofkapelle” court ensemble until its dissolution. In 1818, with the founding of the municipal music association, an orchestral culture emerged in Düsseldorf—drawing musicians including Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann. However, the city’s official orchestra was not formally established until 1864, making it one of Germany’s oldest orchestras.
It subsequently became one of the country’s leading major orchestras under the baton of distinguished conductors such as Heinrich Hollreiser, Eugen Szenkar, Jean Martinon, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Henryk Czyż, 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 appeared in Tokyo as part of a nine-concert tour.
In 2017 and 2018, the orchestra was invited to Arnhem (Netherlands) and Moscow, as well as to Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. In 2018 and 2019, it performed in Budapest, followed by a successful five-concert tour across Spain.
Two Mahler symphony recordings conducted by Adam Fischer received prestigious awards in 2019: Symphony No. 1 won the BBC Music Award, and Symphony No. 3 received the Opus Klassik Award.
Adam Fischer, conductor
Born in Budapest, Fischer later studied conducting and composition in Vienna with Hans Swarowsky. He shared first prize at the 1973 Cantelli Conducting Competition in Milan and subsequently held posts at the Graz, Karlsruhe, and Freiburg opera houses—serving as General Music Director in Freiburg. His association with the Vienna State Opera also began that same year.
From 1987 to 1992, Fischer served as Music Director of the Kassel Opera. In July 1989, he founded and conducted the first Gustav Mahler Festival in Kassel—serving as its Artistic Director. For the festival, he assembled a new orchestra and secured significant support from the German government. The festival continues to thrive today.
Fischer regularly conducts productions at the Zurich Opera with international stars such as Thomas Hampson, Edita Gruberova, and Cecilia Bartoli. Recent seasons included Haydn’s *L’anima del filosofo*, Rossini’s *La Cenerentola*, Cimarosa’s *Il matrimonio segreto*, and a televised revival of his highly acclaimed production of Donizetti’s *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 numerous world-class 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 also maintains close collaboration with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. His first Japanese tour took place in 1984; he has returned regularly ever since. Fischer debuted 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 currently serves as its Music Director. 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 film of Bartók’s *Bluebeard’s Castle*, performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, won the 1989 Premio Italia, the Royal Philharmonic Society Award, and the Charles Heidsieck Award for BBC Radio/TV/Video.