The 27th Kraków Opera Festival concludes on 16 August 2026. Discover the remaining performances of La gazza ladra, Tosca and Die Fledermaus, and why this summer festival remains one of Kraków’s cultural highlights.
With just a handful of performances remaining, the 27th Kraków Opera Festival is approaching its grand finale after almost three months of music, theatre and dance. Since opening in May, the festival has transformed some of the city’s most iconic venues into stages for opera, ballet and concerts, bringing together internationally recognised artists alongside the resident company of the Kraków Opera.
For those who have yet to experience this year’s programme, there is still time. Until 16 August, audiences can enjoy three celebrated productions ranging from Rossini’s comic masterpiece La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) to Puccini’s dramatic Tosca and Johann Strauss II’s much-loved operetta Die Fledermaus (The Revenge of the Bat).
A festival celebrating opera across Kraków and beyond
The 27th edition began on 22 May with the premiere of Johann Strauss II’s Viennese Blood, setting the tone for a summer programme that blended classic repertoire with ballet, family performances and outdoor productions. Throughout June, the festival returned to one of Poland’s most spectacular cultural settings, with performances of Aida, Tosca, Bona Sforza and Nabucco staged in the Arcaded Courtyard of Wawel Royal Castle. Elsewhere, audiences enjoyed ballet performances, musical concerts in Kraków’s Botanical Garden and productions designed especially for younger visitors.
As in previous years, the festival extended beyond the Opera House itself, presenting selected performances in unique venues across southern Poland while showcasing the breadth of Kraków Opera’s artistic programme.
Rossini’s La gazza ladra returns to the stage
The first of the remaining performances is Gioachino Rossini’s La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie), taking place on 16 and 18 July at the Kraków Opera.
One of Rossini’s most distinctive works, the opera combines comedy, suspense and social drama around a seemingly simple mystery involving stolen silverware. Famous for its exhilarating overture, La gazza ladra has remained a favourite with audiences for nearly two centuries and offers a welcome contrast to the grand historical dramas presented earlier in the festival.
This production is also particularly notable as a collaboration between the Kraków Opera and the Kraków Philharmonic, adding another dimension to this year’s festival programme.
Tosca brings Puccini’s timeless drama to August
Opera lovers will have two opportunities to experience Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca during the festival’s closing weeks.
The production will be performed at the Kraków Opera on 7 August, before travelling to Krynica-Zdrój on 9 August.
Set against the political turmoil of Napoleonic Rome, Tosca remains one of the world’s most frequently performed operas. Combining unforgettable arias with powerful orchestration and dramatic storytelling, it continues to captivate both long-time opera enthusiasts and first-time audiences alike.
For visitors spending the summer in Kraków, the performance at the Opera House offers one of the final opportunities to experience the festival before its closing week.
The festival concludes with Die Fledermaus
The closing performances belong to Johann Strauss II’s sparkling operetta Die Fledermaus, known in Poland as Zemsta nietoperza (The Revenge of the Bat).
Full of mistaken identities, elaborate disguises, champagne-fuelled celebrations and elegant Viennese waltzes, the operetta provides a joyful finale to the festival and remains one of the most popular works in the operetta repertoire.
The remaining performances are scheduled for:
- 12 August – Kraków Opera
- 14 August – Krynica-Zdrój
- 16 August – Kraków Opera (Festival Finale)
The final performance on 16 August will officially bring the 27th Kraków Opera Festival to a close after nearly three months of performances.
Why it matters
The Kraków Opera Festival has become one of the city’s defining summer cultural events, attracting audiences from across Poland and abroad. By combining performances inside the Opera House with productions at landmarks such as Wawel Royal Castle and guest appearances elsewhere in the region, the festival showcases both the richness of the operatic repertoire and Kraków’s unique cultural heritage.
For residents, it offers a rare opportunity to experience world-class opera, ballet and musical performances throughout the summer. For visitors, it provides another compelling reason to include Kraków’s thriving performing arts scene alongside the city’s historic attractions.
With only a few performances left before the curtain falls, now is the last chance to experience this year’s festival before the Kraków Opera prepares to launch its 2026/27 season this autumn.
Remaining Festival Performances
- 16 July 2026 – La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) – Kraków Opera
- 18 July 2026 – La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) – Kraków Opera
- 7 August 2026 – Tosca – Kraków Opera
- 9 August 2026 – Tosca – Krynica-Zdrój
- 12 August 2026 – Die Fledermaus (The Revenge of the Bat) – Kraków Opera
- 14 August 2026 – Die Fledermaus (The Revenge of the Bat) – Krynica-Zdrój
- 16 August 2026 – Die Fledermaus (The Revenge of the Bat) – Kraków Opera (Festival Finale)
