The upcoming 23rd Misteria Paschalia Festival presents eight days of intimate encounters with music of the Renaissance and Baroque. Between 29 March and 5 April 2026, Kraków resounds with works by Bach and Handel, jewels of Italian and French musical heritage, and some rarely performed, fascinating compositions from the colonial period of the of the city of La Plata (present day Sucre in Bolivia). The programme, showcasing the extensive repertoire naturally reflecting the period of Holy Week and Easter, has been prepared by Vincent Dumestre, expert in early music, and interpreted by leading European ensembles.

The Misteria Paschalia Festival brings to Kraków acclaimed artists performing early music and specialising in historically-informed performance. The forthcoming event, held in March and April 2026, features ensembles from France, Belgium, Italy, Czechia and Poland, such as Le Poème Harmonique, Le Concert de la Love, Ensemble Alkymia, Vox Luminis, Collegium Vocale 1704 and the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra.

The French instrumentalist, conductor and the festival’s artistic director Vincent Dumestre explains, “Misteria Paschalia 2026 takes us on a journey from the north to the south, letting the listeners explore and compare highly distinct styles from the same period: the depth, solemnity and elaborate counterpoint of the German repertoire (Bach, Buxtehude) juxtaposed with the sheer brilliance and exuberance of music from Latin America and works by composers from southern Europe. And what a journey it will be: from Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu nostri opening the festival to Bolivian music celebrating the Virgin Mary on Holy Saturday!”

Misteria Paschalia is also the perfect opportunity to experience early music in its natural context: in sacral spaces and in some of Kraków’s finest concert halls. The programme features works exploring the human aspect of the mystery of Holy Week and Easter, as well as allowing us to reflect on the sacred, starting with Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion on Good Friday and concluding with George Frideric Handel’s vivacious La Resurrezione on Easter Sunday.

We will also hear some rarely performed works, such as Agostino Steffani’s Stabat Mater resounding on Maundy Thursday alongside Johann Sebastiani’s St Matthew Passion. The lyrical, meditative experience of the Mother’s grief is a sensitive exploration of a personal dimension of suffering, following the festival’s humanist values.

Among the festival’s key locations, Kraków’s churches play a special role, such as the Church of St Catherine of Alexandria and the Carmelite Basilica, which will host Giorgio Allegri’s famous Miserere, a refined, richly ornamented, almost mythical piece performed exclusively during Holy Week and only in selected locations around the world. As usual, the Misteria Paschalia Festival will also be held at St Kinga’s Chapel at the Wieliczka Salt Mine.

“A festival such as Misteria Paschalia couldn’t be held in any other city,” says Carolina Pietyra, director of the Kraków Festival Office. “Kraków’s unique sacral architecture, forming an integral part of European heritage, and audiences who truly appreciate world-class performances, make it a unique venue for concerts. The next edition is certain to satisfy those who seek artistic and spiritual experiences in music festivals. Misteria Paschalia is a very special way of encountering music for performers and listeners alike. The event will also feature masterclasses for up-and-coming musicians and educational meetings for people with special needs and children.”

As well as the main Grands Concerts programme, the festival also features String Days – an exhibition at the Potocki Palace showcasing priceless string instruments from the 17th and 18th centuries, their contemporary replicas and reconstructions of even earlier instruments such as the mazanki and suka fiddles. String Days is the only exhibition of its kind in Europe; it will be accompanied by an extensive educational programme and workshops aimed at amateurs and experts.

Entry to the exhibition is free; tickets to Grands Concerts go on sale on 16 December (via the KBF: PLUS app) and 17 December via the KBF website. More information on events accompanying the main programme coming soon.

Tickets go on sale on 16 December via the KBF: PLUS app and 17 December via the KBF website.