Joining the country-wide celebrations of the centenary of Poland regaining independence, the 11th Wawel at Dusk Festival reaches for Polish music, all the way from Pękiel to Penderecki. The Arcaded Courtyard and Batory Courtyard welcome musicians and audiences on Saturdays, kicking off on 7 July with a four-hour piano marathon (10am-2pm) dominated by works by Fryderyk Chopin followed by an evening concert featuring soloists and the CORda Cracovia Orchestra performing Wojciech Kilar’s Polonaise from the film version of Pan Tadeusz, Krzysztof Penderecki’s Flute Concerto and a world premiere of a piece composed especially for the occasion by Paweł Malinowski. July also features an evening for cello and piano with works by Beethoven and Chopin (14 July), operatic duets and songs by Moniuszko and Karłowicz (21 July) and a concert of Baroque vocal compositions by Bartłomiej Pękiel and Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, former kapellmeisters of Wawel Cathedral, performed by the Octava Ensemble (28 July). There will be more music in August: Wieniawski and Szymanowski for violin and piano (4 August), piano recital by Karol Radziwonowicz (11 August), concert by the Polish Border Guard Orchestra (18 August), and in the grand finale on 25 August – a performance by young Polish piano star Szymon Nehring with CORda Cracovia Orchestra led by Marek Moś. A truly royal festival! (Barbara Skowrońska)
7 July 2018, 10am-2pm, Arcaded Courtyard
Marathon of Young Pianists: Maciej Kiełpiński, Klara Kraj, Małgorzata Kruczek, Mateusz Zubik (admission free)
7 July 2018, 8pm, Arcaded Courtyard
Natalia Jarząbek (flute)
Radosław Goździkowski (piano)
CORda Cracovia Orchestra
Justyna Kwarcińska (conductor)
Bartosz Staniszewski (conductor)
W. Kilar Polonaise from the film Pan Tadeusz
A. Szałowski Overture
P. Malinowski – premiere of new work
K. Szymanowski Symphonie de concert No. 4
K. Penderecki Flute Concerto
14 July 2018, 7:30pm, Stefan Batory Courtyard
Rafał Kwiatkowski (cello)
Grzegorz Gorczyca (piano)
in programme: L. van Beethoven, F. Chopin
21 July 2018, 7:30pm, Stefan Batory Courtyard
Wiktoria Zawistowska (mezzo-soprano)
Dawid Janowiak (bass-baritone)
Monika Płachta (piano)
in programme: W.A. Mozart, F. Chopin, S. Moniuszko, G. Rossini, G. Bizet, L. Bernstein
28 July 2018, 7:30pm, Stefan Batory Courtyard
Octava Ensemble
in programme: B. Pękiel, G.G. Gorczycki, gospel music
4 August 2018, 7:30pm, Stefan Batory Courtyard
Krzysztof Katana (violin)
Justyna Danczowska (piano)
in programme: L. van Beethoven, H. Wieniawski, K. Szymanowski
11 August 2018, 7:30pm, Stefan Batory Courtyard
Karol Radziwonowicz (piano)
in programme: F. Chopin, I.J. Paderewski, K. Szymanowski
18 August 2018, 7pm, Arcaded Courtyard
Monika Korybalska (mezzo-soprano)
Tadeusz Szlenkier (tenor)
Polish Border Guard Orchestra
Leszek Mieczkowski (conductor)
in programme music of Polish composers
25 August 2018, 7pm, Arcaded Courtyard
Szymon Nehring (piano)
CORda Cracovia Orchestra
Marek Moś (conductor)
in programme: F. Chopin, E. Elgar, I.J. Paderewski, W. Kilar