Heaven and Earth
Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra
Children's Choir Juan Bautista Comes
University Choir Orfeó Universitari de València
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 primarily performs at the Tonhalle concert hall and the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, as well as touring internationally to promote 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 Hofkapell” court orchestra until its dissolution. In 1818, with the founding of the municipal music association, an orchestral culture emerged in Düsseldorf, attracting many prominent musicians—including Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann. However, it was not until 1864 that the Düsseldorf City Orchestra was officially established—making it one of Germany’s oldest orchestras.
Over time, it became one of the country’s leading and largest orchestras under the baton of distinguished conductors including 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 debuted at Vienna’s Musikverein; in May 2015, they undertook a nine-concert tour of 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, 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 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 jointly won First Prize at the Cantelli Conducting Competition in Milan. He subsequently held posts at the Graz Opera, Karlsruhe Opera, and Freiburg Opera—where he served as General Music Director. His association 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—as Artistic Director and founder. For this, he assembled a new orchestra and secured significant support from the German government. The festival continues to thrive today.
He regularly directs productions for the Zurich Opera with international artists 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 *Linda di Chamounix* (Donizetti) starring Gruberova.
In January 1997, Fischer led the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra in a full production of Verdi’s *Macbeth* in Athens.
Fischer has conducted numerous 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 collaboration with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. His first Japanese tour took place in 1984; he has returned regularly ever since. He 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 Festival and Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra in Eisenstadt, Austria—where he currently serves as Music Director. The festival is now internationally established and attracts top orchestras, ensembles, and soloists from around the world.
With the Austro-Hungarian Haydn 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 on Bartók’s *Bluebeard’s Castle*, featuring the London Philharmonic Orchestra, won the 1989 Prix Italia and the Royal Philharmonic Society & Charles Heidsieck Award for BBC Radio/TV/Video.