Heaven and Earth
Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra
Children's Choir Juan Bautista Comes
Orfeó Universitari de València
Catriona Morison, mezzo-soprano
Conductor: Adam Fischer
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 Deutsche Oper am Rhein, as well as on international tours aimed at promoting music and culture—contributing significantly to Düsseldorf’s 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 that attracted prominent musicians including Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann. However, it was not until 1864 that the City of Düsseldorf officially established its own symphony orchestra—one of Germany’s oldest.
Over time, it grew into one of the country’s leading orchestras under eminent 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 embarked on 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 won prestigious international awards in 2019: Symphony No. 1 received the BBC Music Magazine Award, and Symphony No. 3 earned the Opus Klassik Prize.
ADAM FISCHER, conductor
Born in Budapest, Fischer 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 posts 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 inaugural Gustav Mahler Festival in Kassel—establishing a new orchestra and securing major support from the German government. The festival continues to thrive today.
He regularly directs productions for 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 revival of his highly acclaimed television production of Donizetti’s *Linda di Chamounix*, starring Gruberova.
In January 1997, Fischer led the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra in a full production of Verdi’s *Macbeth* in Athens. He has conducted many leading international orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Danish National Symphony, Dresden Philharmonic, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and Bamberg Symphony.
He maintains close artistic ties with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. His first Japanese tour took place in 1984—and 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 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 Records. 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 Prix Italia and the Royal Philharmonic Society & Charles Heidsieck Award for BBC Radio/TV/Videography.