Eight days, ten special locations and dozens of artistic events in Kraków, Tyniec and Wieliczka between 13 and 20 April 2025: that’s this year’s 22nd edition of the Misteria Paschalia Festival, one of Europe’s most important early music festivals, in a nutshell! Artistic director Vincent Dumestre takes the audience on a unique journey through music of days gone by, featuring celebrated masterpieces alongside works being rediscovered anew.
The main strand, Grand Concerts, resounds with some of the greatest performers of early music working today. The festival opens with Capella Sanctae Crucis under the baton of Tiago Simas Freire performing Requiem de Coimbra at the Church of St. Martin. The following days bring performances by La Guilde de Mercenaires under the direction of Adrien Mabire at the Carmelite Church (music by Monteverdi and Venetian composers from the early 17th century, documenting the birth of the seconda practica style) and Graindelavoix led by Björn Schmelzer at the Church of St. Catherine (musical adaptations of Biblical laments of David).
Wednesday is marked by a special event at Wawel Royal Castle, where ensembles Le Grand Ballet and Les Corps Éloquents are joined by harpsichordists Aleksander Mocek and Andrzej Zawisza and {oh!} Orchestra under the baton of Martyna Pastuszka to intertwine French Baroque music with dance in historic castle chambers. On Maundy Thursday at the Benedictine Basilica in Tyniec, Le Poème Harmonique is led by Vincent Dumestre in the performance of Cavalieri’s moving Lamentations – a work abounding with great spirituality and expressiveness. On Good Friday, the acclaimed Collegium Vocale Gent is led by Philippe Herreweghe in a performance of J.S. Bach’s Passion at ICE Kraków – a monumental work widely regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of music. The grand performance will be led by maestro Herreweghe to showcase the full dramatic intensity of the gospel story featuring outstanding intertwining of the orchestra, choir and soloists. Easter Saturday resounds with the Tenebrae choir under the baton of Nigel Short at the Wieliczka Salt Mine; the festival culminates on Easter Sunday with a performance of Henry Purcell’s Hail! Bright Cecilia, once again presented by Le Poème Harmonique (Kraków Philharmonic).
The Dormitio cycle features the duo La Chacana (Pierre Hamon and Ananda Brandaõ) with their programme Los pasos perdidos, abounding with references to early cultures from Europe and beyond. The music resounds in the candlelit cloisters of the Dominican Church on Easter Monday.
The programme of this year’s Misteria Paschalia Festival also features Winds Days – a four-day celebration of wind instruments held at the Potocki Palace. The exhibition, workshops, lectures and chamber concerts feature around 120 historic instruments; it will be a great opportunity to meet some of the greatest instrumentalists, collectors and constructors of early wind instruments.
This year’s festival brings together over 100 artists from all across Europe and features enchanting concerts alongside events promoting the understanding of early music and instruments. All events are held at some of Kraków’s most beautiful settings intertwining the city’s heritage with world-class performances.
