Performer: Iván Fischer

In an epic night in the Alps, Isata Kanneh-Mason shines in 'Rach 3', while Fischer's Mahler's Symphony no. 1 could scarcely be bettered. 

On the final leg of their North American tour, the Budapest Festival Orchestra’s Mahler proves a a transformative experience within the intimate setting of Toronto’s Koerner Hall. 

Joined by violinist Maxim Vengerov, the Hungarian orchestra, under Music Director Iván Fischer, is in top form in a program of three highly contrasting pieces. 

Iván Fischer and Alina Ibragimova transform familiar works into a vivid experience. From Beethoven’s Violin Concerto to Strauss’ Josephs Legende, the orchestra dazzles with colour, energy and cinematic intensity.

Iván Fischer's reworking of his 2017 production of Don Giovanni is musically capable, but dramatically unconvincing.

The evening starts with life-affirming Beethoven – and then, the Budapest Festival Orchestra demonstrate just how good native Hungarians can be in Bartók’s chiller. 

This season, Switzerland’s premier public-facing concert series juxtaposes several notable Beethoven performances with a variety of other music from around the world. 

Migros, one of Switzerland’s largest retailers, has been running a classical music concert series for more than 70 years, with low ticket prices designed to make music widely accessible.

Bachtrack polled 15 of the world's leading music critics and can reveal their 2023 list of the world's greatest orchestras and conductors.