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 TICKET SALES: 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 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, attracting major musicians including Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann. However, it was not until 1864 that the Düsseldorf City Orchestra was formally established—making it one of Germany’s oldest orchestras.
Over time, it evolved into one of the country’s leading and largest orchestras under eminent 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 launched a nine-concert tour in Tokyo.
In 2017 and 2018, the orchestra was invited to Arnhem (Netherlands) and Moscow, as well as Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. In 2018–2019, 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 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—serving as its Artistic Director. For this, he assembled a new orchestra and secured substantial support from the German government. The festival continues successfully to this day.
He regularly directs 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 *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.
Fischer has conducted many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Danish Radio Symphony, 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 since returned regularly. He made his debuts with the Boston Symphony and Chicago Symphony Orchestras 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—where he currently serves as Music Director. The festival is now internationally established and attracts top orchestras, ensembles, and soloists from around the globe.
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.