Wawel at Dusk

The ‘Wawel at Dusk’ summer festival combines music with a historic setting - a mixture that gives the event its distinctive character and unique atmosphere. The concerts feature not only the outstanding performers and the music, but also the illuminated courtyards of Wawel Royal Castle - including the arcaded Batory Courtyard, which is normally not available to the general public. Sound is not only audible, but also visible thanks to the impressive lighting design.

Something about concert music: Małgorzata Janicka-Słysz

Like in each year, the concerts of the 19th ‘Wawel at Dusk’ summer music festival are aimed at Polish and international audiences spanning different generations, young people and senior citizens alike. The Wawel Royal Castle attracts audiences of all ages - from Krakow, Poland and all over the world - especially in summer. The historical and cultural appeal of unique sites, such as the royal courtyards of the Wawel Castle, can be conducive to the appreciation of music and aesthetics, thus shaping artistic tastes. The listener does not merely listen to the music on its own. They also take in the imagery and beauty of the castle’s architecture, all while being surrounded by the changing colours of the illuminated courtyards, which stimulates visual imagination. Statistics from all eighteen editions of the festival to date show that the chamber music concerts in the Batory Courtyard are always sold out (with 130 listeners at each event), while the symphonic concerts in the Arcade Courtyard bring in more than a thousand listeners. The Young Pianists’ Marathon in the Arcade Courtyard with free admission enables thousands of listeners to experience high-quality musical culture, which goes a long way towards breaking down barriers to the appreciation of culture.

 

The Wawel at Dusk festival brings music to the key place for Polish history, which gives it an attractive artistic backdrop. The 19th edition of the event will continue to bolster the interdisciplinary cultural programme featuring sound art embedded into the architecture of the courtyards of the Wawel Royal Castle, which is intended for a broad audience. This aim is fostered by the open-air stage, which serves as the backdrop for the events. Wawel at Dusk is the only open-air classical music festival in Kraków organised on such a large scale. The songs resonate in a historic and strongly symbolic setting, which fosters a dialogue between Culture, Nature, and History with Tradition in mind.

 

The diversity of styles has been the guiding principle of the subsequent editions of the festival, and this remains true in 2026. The event presents classical music in the broadest sense of the term, a variety of performance formats – ranging from solo recitals through chamber music ensembles to symphonic works, as well as an intersection of tradition in the form of music that constitutes part of our cultural canon, and the modern times with new interpretations. The event focuses on the works of Polish composers (Frederic Chopin, Mieczysław Karłowicz) embedded within a broader cultural context, and on promoting Polish performers (Julia Majewska, Zuzanna Sejbuk, Antoni Wrona, Bartosz Staniszewski and Paweł Kapuła, as well as the CORda Cracovia Ensemble).

 

The organisers also aim to foster imagination and conscious listening with understanding. The outlines of the themes present in the performed pieces, which are provided in Polish and English and have been an integral part of the festival concerts since the first edition in 2008, serve to align and direct the perception of the audience towards an understanding of the music performed, towards a deepened sphere of spirituality and the development of humanistic sensitivity, which are crucial to contemporary human beings.

 

The programme of the Wawel at Dusk festival is also intended to break down barriers which prevent understanding of high musical culture in its various stylistic and repertoire manifestations. In summer, THE WAWEL CASTLE resounds with BEAUTIFUL MUSIC. In EXCEPTIONAL PLACES – in COURTYARDS. Against the backdrop of DUSK.

The Wawel at Dusk summer festival continues to combine music with a place of great importance for Polish history, which gives it a distinctive character and a unique setting. The illuminated courtyards of the Wawel Royal Castle - the Arcade and Batory Courtyards - serve as both the venue and the stars of the show. The latter courtyard was opened in 2008 with musical events in mind. Sound is not only audible, but also visible in the form of the ever-shifting colours and lights. Eighteen editions of the festival have been organised to date, bringing together both Polish and international audiences of all generations. Thanks to the music, the architecture of the Wawel Royal Castle takes on a unique character and a new artistic dimension. The guiding principles of each edition of the festival, which have become firmly established in the minds of the audiences, are the stylistic diversity of the music performed and the convergence of tradition and innovation. The focus is on Polish music – in particular Frederic Chopin, whose music will be the staple of this year’s event in the wake of the 19th International Chopin Piano Competition held in 2025, which explains the participation of Zitong Wang, winner of the third place, as well as Mieczysław Karłowicz, who was born 150 years ago - goes hand in hand with a broader cultural context, and the promotion of Polish performers who have won major music competitions.

Depending on the availability of tickets for the concerts taking place at the Arcade Courtyard (on 7, 8 and 9 August), they may be available until 8:00 p.m. on the day of the concert at the ticket office in the Promotion and Information Centre building.

Entrances to the concerts in the Arcade Courtyard: The Berrecci Gate and the gate next to the Senators’ Tower. The gates open at 7:00 p.m.

In the event of inclement weather, the concerts held in the Batory Courtyard will take place in the Senators’ Hall.

The concerts take place in open-air venues – in the royal Batory and Arcade Courtyards. Since the concerts are outdoor events, we ask the audience members to be prepared for chilly weather and rain - please bring a cap or a hat, a scarf or any other head covering. We kindly ask to leave your umbrellas at home, as they may make enjoying the concerts difficult for others. Keep in mind - the weather can change at any time, though music always lifts the spirits.

We would also ask that you do not take photographs or record videos during the concerts. Keep your phones and electronic devices switched off, as they may interfere with your enjoyment of the beautiful music and your contemplation of the illuminated architecture of the Wawel Royal Castle.

You may bring in up to 0.5 litres of water to the concerts. Please note that food and coloured beverages are prohibited in the Arcade and Batory Courtyards. Due to security concerns, your bags will be checked at the gates to the Arcade Courtyard.

Purchasing or obtaining a ticket is tantamount to the acceptance of the terms and conditions set out in the Wawel Royal Castle Regulations, available at this website.

We wish you all an unforgettable aesthetic experience! Organisers

8 pm – Batory Courtyard

The Winners of the 10th Polish Competition for Musical Individualities, “Atma” 2026:

Gran Prix: Antonina Musioł – violin (Wojciech Musioł – piano)

Gran Prix: Joanna Habich – violin (Joanna Zathey – piano)

on the concert programme: Classical and Romantic works

8 pm – Batory Courtyard

Elżbieta Stefańska & Mariko Kato – harpsichord

on the concert programme: Polish and Spanish dances for harpsichord solo and for four-hands

8 pm – Batory Courtyard

Magdalena Lisak – piano 

artsemble:  Anna Korczyńska – violin I, Fabio Salmeri – violin II

Mateusz Doniec – viola, Krzysztof Sadłowski – cello  

on the concert programme: Fryderyk Chopin, Natalia Janotha, Ignacy Jan Paderewski – piano solo pieces; Robert Schumann, Piano Quintet No. 1 in E-flat major

8 pm – Batory Courtyard

Monika Ledzion – mezzo-soprano, Yaryna Rak – piano

on the concert programme: arias from operas and operettas, and Polish songs

11 am – 1 pm – Arcaded Courtyard

11 am Emanuel Maňúch; 12 pm Maciej Jonczyk; 1 pm Jakub Derej

The programme includes, amongst other things, works by Fryderyk Chopin and jazz improvisations on Chopin themes. 
Free admission.

8 pm – Arcaded Courtyard

Julia Majewska – violin, Antoni Wrona – cello, Zuzanna Sejbuk – piano,

CORda Cracovia Orchestra, Bartosz Staniszewski – conductor

on the concert programme: Mieczysław Karłowicz (marking the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth), Serenade for Strings, Op. 2

Ludwig van Beethoven, Triple Concerto in C major for piano, violin, cello and orchestra, Op. 56

8 pm – Arcaded Courtyard

Lidia Grychtołówna – piano 

on the concert programme: Fryderyk Chopin and the Romantics

8 pm – Arcaded Courtyard

Zitong Wang – piano

The third-place prize winner of the 3rd Prize at the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw

CORda Cracovia Orchestra, Paweł Kapuła – conductor

on the concert programme: Fryderyk Chopin (works for solo piano); Wolfgang Amadeusz Mozart (on the 270th anniversary of the composer’s birth), Overture to the opera The Marriage of Figaro

Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37