It is going to be a music fit for a king on a royal hill! In the intimate Stephen Batory Courtyard at Wawel – normally closed to tourists – the young violinists Antonina Musioł and Joanna Habich will perform, whereas Elżbieta Stefańska and Mariko Kato will play Polish and Spanish dances on the harpsichord, both as solo pieces and for four hands; Schumann’s Piano Quintet No. 1 in E flat major will be performed by pianist Magdalena Lisak and artsemble, and Monika Ledzion will sing arias from operas and operettas. Next, we will head over to the famous Renaissance arcaded courtyard. Here, during the piano marathon and the symphonic evening, artists making their first steps will perform, whereas the last two events will feature exceptional personalities. First we will listen to a masterclass recital by Lidia Grychtołówna – born in 1928, this doyen of Polish piano still gives concerts and continues to do so in spectacular fashion! To round off the programme, we will hear Zitong Wang – winner of third prize at the latest Chopin Competition – perform works by Chopin and Beethoven, accompanied by the CorDA Cracovia Orchestra and conductor Paweł Kapuła (who will perform at the London Proms in September!). The Wawel at Dusk concerts will be complemented by a talk on music by Małgorzata Janicka-Słysz, the festival’s artistic director.
30 July 2026, 8pm
Stefan Batory Courtyard
Laureatwes of the 10th Atma National Competition of Musical Individualities 2026:
Grand Prix: Antonina Musioł – violin (Wojciech Musioł – piano)
Grand Prix: Joanna Habich – violin (Joanna Zathey – piano)
In programme: Classical and Romantic works
31 July 2026, 8pm
Stefan Batory Courtyard
Elżbieta Stefańska & Mariko Kato – harpsichord
Five Polish Renaissance Dances
Bazyli Bohdanowicz (1740−1817) Polonaise in D major
Maciej Radziwiłł (1749−1800) Polonaise in C major
Michał Kleofas Ogiński (1765−1833) Polonaise in D minor
Józef Elsner (1769−1854) Three Polonaises: in C major, in G major, in F minor for 4 hands
Rondo à la Krakowiak for 4 hands – improvisation
Georg Friedrich Händel (1685−1759) Passacaglia in G minor
Antonio Soler (1729−1783) Fandango
Arcangelo Corelli (1653−1713) La Folia for 4 hands – improvisation
1 August 2026, 8pm
Stefan Batory Courtyard
Magdalena Lisak – piano
artsemble:
Anna Korczyńska – I violin
Fabio Salmeri – II violin
Mateusz Doniec – viola
Krzysztof Sadłowski – cello
Natalia Janotha (1856−1932) Mazurka in A major, Op. 6 No. 2
Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860−1941) Intermezzo polacco, Op. 14 No. 5
Fryderyk Chopin (1810−1849)
–Etude in E major, Op. 10 No. 3
– Etude in C sharp minor, Op. 10 No. 4
–Waltz in C sharp minor, Op. 64 No. 2
–Scherzo in B flat minor, Op. 31
***
Robert Schumann (1810−1856) Piano Quintet No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 44
2 August 2026, 8pm
Stefan Batory Courtyard
Monika Ledzion – mezzo-soprano
Yaryna Rak – piano
In programme: opera and operetta arias and Polish songs
7 August 2026
Arcaded Courtyard
Young Pianists Marathon
11am Emanuel Maňúch
noon Maciej Jonczyk
1pm Jakub Derej
In programme: works by Fryderyk Chopin and jazz improvisations on Chopin themes
7 August (piątek) 2026, 8pm
Arcaded Courtyard
Julia Majewska – violin
Antoni Wrona – cello
Zuzanna Sejbuk – piano
CORda Cracovia Orchestra
Bartosz Staniszewski – conductor
Mieczysław Karłowicz Serenade for strings, Op. 2
Ludwig van Beethoven Triple Concerto in C major for piano, violin, cello and orchestra, Op. 56
8 August 2026, 8pm
Arcaded Courtyard
Lidia Grychtołówna – piano
Franz Schubert (1797−1828) Impromptus, Op. 90: No. 2 – in E flat major, No. 3 – in G flat major, No. 4 – in A flat majro
Robert Schumann (1810−1856) Kinderszenen, Op. 15
Fryderyk Chopin (1810−1849)
–Nocturne in F major, Op. 15 No. 1
–3 Mazurkas, Op. 59
–Waltz in C sharp minor, Op. 64 No. 2
–Polonaise in C sharp minor, Op. 26 No. 1
9 August 2026, 8pm
Arcaded Courtyard
Zitong Wang – piano, laureate of the 3rd prize at the 19th Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition
CORda Cracovia Orchestra
Paweł Kapuła – conductor
Fryderyk Chopin
–Waltz in E minor, Op. posth. b. 44
–Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante, Op. 22
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart The Marriage of Figaro overture
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
