Music in Old Cracow Festival Begins This Weekend

We all remember the painful experience of listening to our childhood schoolmates attempting to play something pretty on the piano at the end of term concert. Those forays into classical music are enough to put anyone off attending a concert for life. But it’s time to throw away your preconceptions, as Krakow is about to revel in a cacophony of superb music. The 34th Festival of Music in Old Cracow is about to commence, and as always, some fantastic international acts are set to perform.

The basic gist of the festival is to lure venerable names on the world scene to perform in some of the city’s most evocative historical venues. This year, you’ll be able to catch concerts in the Collegium Novum, the Tempel Synagogue, the Florianka Hall and a selection of Krakow’s most imposing churches. The instigator of the festival was Stanisław Gałoński, director of Capella Cracoviensis, Cracow’s pre-eminent orchestra. Capella – always a treat to hear – will also be performing alongside the international guests. Music aficionados can snap up tickets from the city Cultural Office at ul. Św. Jana 2.

The full schedule is below:

15 August, Saturday

19.30 Krakow, Philharmonic Hall, ul. Zwierzyniecka 1
Karłowicz anniversary tribute 1909 – 2009, Capella Cracoviensis, Stanisław Krawczyński conducts

16 August, Sunday

19.30 Krakow, Corpus Christi Basilica, ul. Bożego Ciała 26
Capella Cracoviensis, varied programme, Ralf Sochaczewsky conducts

17 August, Monday

20.00 Krakow, Bernardine Church, ul. Bernardyńska 2
Haydn, Shostakovich & Schubert, performed by the Philharmonia Quartet Berlin

19.00 Wieliczka Salt Mines, ul. Daniłowicza 10
The Los Romeros Guitar Quartet plays Bach, and selected pieces by Joaquin Rodrigo and Francisco Tarrega

18 August, Tuesday

19.30 Kraków, Philharmonic Hall, ul. Zwierzyniecka 1
12 Cellists from the Berlin Philharmonic take on pieces by Bach, Ravel, Piazzolla

19 August, Wednesday

19.30 Krakow, Philharmonic Hall, ul. Zwierzyniecka 1
Krakow’s Philharmonic Orchestra is joined by Ivan Monighetti on cello for an evening of Dvorak & Brahms

20 August, Thursday

20.00 Krakow, Corpus Christi Basilica, ul. Bożego Ciała 26
Les Sacqueboutiers de Toulouse perform their inimitable 17th Century mix

21 August, Friday

20.00 Krakow, Corpus Christi Basilica, ul. Bożego Ciała 26
Capella Amsterdam performs The Dutch Masters, Daniel Reuss conducts

22 August, Saturday

20.30 Krakow, Church of St. Catherine, ul. Augustiańska 7
Capella Amsterdam and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin play Handel’s oratorio Saul

23 August, Sunday

20.30 Krakow, Church of St. Catherine, ul. Augustiańska 7
Capella Amsterdam and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin return with second performance of Handel’s oratorio Saul

24 August, Monday

18.30 Krakow, Tempel Synagogue, ul. Miodowa 24
The Chamber Orchestra of the Polish Radio plays Mozart, Haydn and Mussorgsky

20.30 Krakow Church of St. Catherine, ul. Augustiańska 7
Capella Cracoviensis plays Haydn’s The Creation, Marta Boberska soprano, Robin Tritschler tenor Bogdan Makal bass.

25 August, Tuesday

20.00 Krakow, Florianka Hall, ul. Basztowa 8
L’arte dell ‘Arco plays Vivaldi, Handel and Ferrandini

26 August, Wednesday

19.30 Krakow, Aula Collegium Novum, ul. Gołębia 24
The Wind Quintet of Capella Cracoviensis plays Bartok, Ligetti and Bacewicz

27 August, Thursday

19.00 Krakow, Church of the Holy Cross, ul. Św. Krzyża 23
Capella’s Vocal Ensemble sings Missa pulcherrima

28 August, Friday

19.30 Krakow, Church of St. Joseph, Podgórze, ul. Zamojskiego 2
Ensemble Clement Janeqin plays dows in Podgorze, joined by Dominique Visse on as countertenor

29 August, Saturday

19.30 Krakow, Philharmonic Hall, ul. Zwierzyniecka 1
Grammy award-winning pianist Emmanuel Ax plays Schubert, Liszt, Schumann and Chopin

30 August, Sunday

20.00 Krakow, Galicia Jewish Museum, ul. Dajwór 18
Capella Cracoviensis plays Mozart on antique instruments. Deborah York sings soprano.

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