The honorary guest conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Iván Fischer, is once again conducting a unique and festive programme on March 12-13, 2026. Get your tickets and don't miss out!

Iván Fischer performs Dvorák, Smetana, Bernstein and the Beatles with the Concertgebouw Orchestra

The concert has two faces, one featuring the American-Jewish artists Bernstein and Braunstein before the interval, and afterwards, the Bohemian composers Dvořák and Smetana, who'll bring you on a fascinating journey through their homeland.

Leonard Bernstein’s sparkling dances from On the Town serve as a prelude to the Abbey Road Concerto, which features composer-violinist Guy Braunstein (former leader of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) as soloist in his own work. Familiar melodies from the Beatles’ iconic album are interwoven with Braunstein’s own music.

After the interval, Iván Fischer pairs excerpts from Smetana’s Má vlast (My Fatherland) with some of Dvořák’s Moravian Duets, sung by Mirella Hagen and Olivia Vermeulen. This melodious music paints a vivid, colourful picture of Bohemia in all its facets. Bohemian landscapes, scenes from the lives of Moravian peasant children, and a mythical battle are all depicted in the music, culminating in Smetana’s most famous river melody, Vltava.

Photo: Akos Stiller

About the conductor

Iván Fischer studied piano, violin, cello and composition in Budapest. He went on to Vienna to study orchestral conducting with Hans Swarowsky and was Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s assistant for two seasons.

In 1983, Fischer founded the Budapest Festival Orchestra, which he still leads as chief conductor. He is active as a composer and as opera director for his Iván Fischer Opera Company. He is also the founder of several festivals, including the Vicenza Opera Festival. He was music director at Kent Opera, Opéra National de Lyon, Principal Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, and chief conductor of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, which named him honorary conductor.

Ever since 1987, Fischer has made guest appearances with the Concertgebouw Orchestra almost every year. In October 2020, the orchestra appointed him honorary guest conductor, effective from the 2021/22 season. 

Concert programme

Here is the concert programme:

• Leonard Bernstein: Three Dance Episodes from On the Town
• The Beatles/Guy Braunstein: Abbey Road Concerto
• Antonín Dvořák: Moravian Duets
• Bedrich Smetana: Vltava and other episodes from Má vlast (My Fatherland)

Performers

Here are the performers:

• Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
• Iván Fischer, conductor
• Mireille Hagen, Soprano

About the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra was founded in 1888. Its distinctive sound has made it one of the world’s leading orchestras.

The orchestra is renowned for its renditions of works by Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, and Anton Bruckner, as well as its long-standing concert traditions, including the St. Matthew Passion in the week before Easter and the Christmas Matinee. It has always worked closely with contemporary composers.

The Concertgebouw Orchestra has had just seven chief conductors to date. The eighth was announced in 2022: Klaus Mäkelä joined as artistic partner in the 2022-23 season and will become chief conductor in 2027. The coming season sees five extraordinary programmes with Klaus Mäkelä at the helm. 

Get your tickets

Check out the Concertgebouw Orchestra and Iván Fischer play Dvorák, Smetana, Bernstein, and the Beatles. Get your tickets in advance.

For more information about the concert programme and the performers, visit the official Concertgebouw Orchestra website! The ticket price includes a complimentary glass of wine before the concert and at the interval, as well as free cloakroom use.