Symphony No. 3 — Heaven and Earth
Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra
Children’s Choir Juan Bautista Comes
Orfeó Universitari de València
Catriona Morison, mezzo-soprano
Adam Fischer, conductor
Mahler — Symphony No. 3
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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—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” until its dissolution. In 1818, the founding of the municipal music association laid the groundwork for an orchestral tradition in Düsseldorf, attracting eminent 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.
It subsequently evolved into one of the country’s leading symphonic ensembles 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 embarked on a nine-concert tour of Tokyo.
In 2017 and 2018, the orchestra was invited to Arnhem (Netherlands), Moscow, and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. In 2018 and 2019, it performed in Budapest and completed a successful five-concert tour of 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, 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, where he served as General Music Director. His collaboration with the Vienna State Opera began the 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 festival, he assembled a new orchestra and secured substantial support from the German government. The festival continues to thrive today.
He regularly conducts productions at 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 acclaimed 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 of the world’s leading 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 a close artistic partnership with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. His first Japanese tour took place in 1984; 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 undertook a U.S. tour with the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra.
In 1987, Adam Fischer launched the Haydn Austro-Hungarian 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 Haydn Austro-Hungarian Orchestra, Fischer is recording the complete Haydn symphonies for Nimbus. He has also recorded for CBS, EMI, Hungaroton, and Delta. His BBC television film of Bartók’s *Bluebeard’s Castle*, performed with the LPO, won the 1989 Premio Italia and the Royal Philharmonic Society & Charles Heidsieck Award for BBC Radio/TV/Video.