Adam Fischer was born in Budapest, where he attended the Liszt Ferenc Academy for studies in conducting and composition studies in Budapest. Further studies continued with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna. His association with Vienna State Opera began in 1973, he has led a large number of performances and highly successful premieres. As a symphonic conductor, he has appeared with some of the leading European and American orchestras. In 1987, Adam Fischer initiated the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Festival and Orchestra in Eisenstadt, Austria and is currently Music Director of the Orchestra. The Festival is now internationally established and draws leading orchestras, ensembles and soloists. In July 1989 he presented and conducted the first Gustav Mahler Festival (of which he is founder and Artistic Director) in Kassel. Since 1999 he is Principal Conductor of the Danish Radio Sinfonietta. In summer 2000 he took up a four year appointment as Music Director of Mannheim Opera. He made his Bayreuth Festival debut in 2001 conducting the complete Ring cycle. The debut has been a huge success and has been hailed unanimously as the event of the year.