5 Best Performing Arts in Krakow, Poland

Misteria Paschalia Festival

Stare Miasto Fodor's choice

Dedicated to early music (Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque), the festival is held each year from the last Monday of Lent to Easter Monday. The program is built around the Easter theme and attracts an impressive lineup of famous contributors: Jordi Savall and his Hespèrion XXI; Marc Minkowski with Musiciens de Louvre-Grenoble; Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante. Tickets, available online and from Cultural Information Point, should be booked well in advance.

Music In Old Kraków

The best thing about this classical music event is that it takes you on a tour of historical interiors: churches, synagogues, halls, rooms, and courtyards you do not see every day. The festival fills the second half of August with classical music, offering one or two concerts daily for two weeks. The program is varied, from heavyweights like Bach to his lesser-known contemporaries. If you are lucky, you may catch a performance of an international star like Jordi Savall.

Opera Rara Festival

Wawel
Among the impressive array of Kraków's serious classical music festivals, Opera Rara is trying to be a little different. A series of concert versions of rarely performed baroque operas has evolved into something more playful and varied. In 2017, for example, the festival opened with a compilation of baroque pieces by singers in period dress, accompanied by circus acrobats. Events are held all over town.

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Organ Music Days

Organ recitals can be found in many of Kraków's churches throughout the summer season. With an impressive 50-years-long tradition, the Organ Music Days, usually in June, rates among the best organ music events in Europe.

Sacrum Profanum Festival

Stare Miasto

Held every autumn, usually in October, the festival is dedicated to performing modern classics. In previous years, festival stars have included Sigur Rós, Kronos Quartet, Aphex Twin, Steve Reich, and Kraftwerk.