Heaven and Earth
Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra
Juan Bautista Comes Children's 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 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—helping establish Düsseldorf’s reputation as a renowned cultural city.
In the 18th century, composers such as Handel and Corelli worked at the “Düsseldorfer Hofkapelle” until its dissolution. In 1818, with the founding of the municipal music association, an orchestral tradition took root in Düsseldorf, attracting eminent musicians including Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann. However, the official city orchestra—the Düsseldorf Symphony—was not founded until 1864, making it one of Germany’s oldest orchestras.
It subsequently grew into one of the country’s foremost large orchestras under 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 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 2018–2019, it performed in Budapest, followed by a successful five-concert tour across Spain.
Two recordings of Mahler symphonies conducted by Adam Fischer won prestigious awards in 2019: the First Symphony received the BBC Music Magazine Award, and the Third Symphony earned the Opus Klassik Award.
ADAM FISCHER, CONDUCTOR
Born in Budapest, Fischer 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 inaugural Gustav Mahler Festival in Kassel—creating a new orchestra and securing major support from the German government. The festival continues to flourish today.
He regularly directs productions at the Zurich Opera with international artists such as Thomas Hampson, Edita Gruberova, and Cecilia Bartoli. Recent seasons have included Haydn’s *L’anima del filosofo*, Rossini’s *La Cenerentola*, Cimarosa’s *Il matrimonio segreto*, and a revival of his highly acclaimed production of Donizetti’s *Linda di Chamounix* starring Gruberova—filmed for television.
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 Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonic, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and Bamberg Symphony.
He maintains a close artistic partnership with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. His first Japanese tour was in 1984; he has since returned regularly. Fischer made his debuts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and 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 Austro-Hungarian Haydn 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 Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, Fischer is 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 and the Royal Philharmonic Society & Charles Heidsieck Award for BBC Radio/TV/Video.