We’ll be taken on a journey to the castle of King Roger, visit the chambers of a haunted manor and take a sip from a cup of love potion. How? With the 22nd Kraków Opera Summer Festival!

Desperate Violetta, shy Micaëla, loyal Desdemona, unfaithful Nedda – Aleksandra Kurzak dazzles in each and every role. The star of Opéra Garnier, Metropolitan Opera, La Scala and Wiener Staatsoper performs among the Renaissance arcades of Wawel Castle during the concert World Opera Arias (29 June). The castle hosts two other captivating events: on 27 June, we will see the dance gala Grand pas...!, and Moniuszko’s evergreen opera The Haunted Manor on 23 and 25 June; its blend of romance, comedy and patriotism makes it the perfect choice for marking the celebrations of the centenary of Poland’s independence.

The festival also travels further afield: we will see Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore at the foot of Niepołomice Castle (17 and 18 June), attend an operatic evening at Lubomirski Castle in Nowy Wiśnicz (9 June) and enjoy the concert of arias and duets in Miechów (8 July).

The Kraków Opera also presents the best performances of recent seasons at its main stage at Lubicz Street: acclaimed Don Pasquale (2 and 3 June), one of Michał Znaniecki’s finest productions King Roger (8 June) and the scenic cantata Carmina Burana (6 and 7 June). Finally, Pan Tralaliński (5, 6 and 16 June) is the last instalment of the season of the cycle Songs – Theatre of Words, featuring songs by Lutosławski, Moniuszko and Szymanowski penned especially for children but equally enchanting for adults. (Barbara Skowrońska)

2, 3 June 2018
KRAKÓW OPERA MAIN STAGE 6:30pm » G. Donizetti Don Pasquale, dir. J. Stuhr, T. Tokarczyk (conductor); PLN 28-120

5, 6 June 2018
KRAKÓW OPERA CHAMBER STAGE 11am » Song – Theatre of Words, Mr. Tralaliński; in programme: W. Lutosławski, S. Moniuszko, K. Szymanowski, J. Czechowicz, T. Baird, L. Różycki; PLN 25

8 June 2018
KRAKÓW OPERA MAIN STAGE 6:30pm » K. Szymanowski King Roger, dir. M. Znaniecki, Monika Wolińska (conductor); PLN 28-120

9 June 2018
CASTLE IN NOWY WIŚNICZ 8pm » An Evening at the Castle, Iwona Socha, Monika Korybalska, Adam Szerszeń, Krzysztof Kozarek, Kraków Opera Orchestra, Sławomir Chrzanowski (conductor); PLN 40

16 June 2018 (in the frames of the Theatre Night)
KRAKÓW OPERA CHAMBER STAGE 11am » Song – Theatre of Words, Mr. Tralaliński; in programme: W. Lutosławski, S. Moniuszko, K. Szymanowski, J. Czechowicz, T. Baird, L. Różycki; admission free by Theatre Night invitations

17, 18 June 2018
HIPPODROME IN NIEPOŁOMICE 7:30pm » G. Donizetti L’elisir d’amore, Evgeny Volynskiy (conductor); PLN 28-120

23, 25 June 2018
WAWEL CASTLE ARCADED COURTYARD 7:30pm » S. Moniuszko The Haunted Manor, dir. L. Adamik, Piotr Wajrak (conductor); PLN 40-120

27 June 2018
WAWEL CASTLE ARCADED COURTYARD 7:30pm » Grand pas…! ballet gala, PLN 30-80

29 June 2018
WAWEL CASTLE ARCADED COURTYARD 8:30pm » World Opera Arias, Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano), Kraków Opera Orchestra, Wojciech Rajski (conductor); PLN 150-300

6, 7 July 2018
KRAKÓW OPERA MAIN STAGE 6:30pm » C. Orff Carmina Burana, chor. E. Wesołowski, T. Tokarczyk (conductor); PLN 20-100

8 July 2018
CULTURE AND SPORTS CENTRE IN MIECHÓW MAIN STAGE 7pm » Sing It with Me, Iwona Socha, Agnieszka Cząstka, Vasyl Grokholskyi, Adam Sobierajski, Kraków Opera Orchestra, Tomasz Tokarczyk (conductor); admission free