7th Festival of Musical Gardens

The Festival of Musical Gardens will take place for the seventh time beginning on the 30th of June and encompassing thirty days of film screenings, concerts, and meetings with representatives from the world of culture and music. All of the events will take place at the Royal Castle, and the entrance to each one is free! Be sure to check the festival's website for a full schedule of what's happening during the month.

when - Through 30th July
where - Royal Castle, Plac Zamkowy 4
more info - click here

Exhibit: Bill Viola

A solo exhibition by Bill Viola will be the feature for several months at the Zacheta National Art Gallery. For the first time in Poland, the work of this outstanding artist and pioneer of video art will be shown. Viola played a major role in the recognition of video as a new form of artistic expression and in the development of this medium. Viola's experimental films and video-installations are famous for engaging viewers on every level - intellectual, emotional, and perceptual. His images conjure places and emotions that are at once foreign yet completely recognizable, inspired by the artist's travel, poetry and philosophy, religions, and other artistic mediums. But really, there's nothing that can be written that will truly convey the feeling of experiencing one of Viola's exhibitions - you just have to see for yourself.

when - Until 1st July
where - Zacheta National Art Gallery, Pl. Malachowskiego 3
more info - click here

XIII International Summer Jazz Festival in the Old Town

The International Summer Jazz Festival in the Old Town will take place for the eighth time in, you guessed it, the Old Town. Each Saturday at 7 p.m. from the end of June until the end of August thousands of jazz fans will gather in the Old Town to catch a great show. Overall, the festival attracts some 50 thousands jazz enthusiasts each summer. The festival is open to the public and aims to present the leading jazz artists of today in all styles of the genre. A highlight of the festival will be a performance by the David Murray Quartet from the USA. Other performers include Dino Saluzzi, Pierre Blanchard, Dave Liebman, Leszek Mozdzer, Paul Brody, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Dean Brown, The Avishai Cohen, and John Taylor, amongst many other stars.

when - Until 25th August
where - Old Town
more info - click here

Exhibit: Alfons Mucha (1860-1939)

Warsaw is one of the lucky cities to co-host this major European tour of Czech artist Alfons Mucha. The artist's grandson John Mucha has helped get the show on the road, and he's trying to break the stereotype of the grand old man being nothing more than a poster designer. As a result, visitors to the National Museum will be able to check out drawings, paintings, photographs, calendars and jewellery designs by the legendary Czech master. Over 190 artefacts are coming on show, and poster fans won't be left out in the cold, as a good number of these classic pieces are included in the exhibition. There's no doubting that Mucha captured the spirit of his age, creating some of the most memorable imagery of his era. But will a mass of Mucha be too sickly sweet to swallow, or will it be as enchanting as daybreak in the artist's home city of Prague? Head over to the National Museum and find out.

when - Until 29th July
where - National Museum, al. Jerozolimskie 3
more info - click here

Promotion of the Alternative Scene

June began the third edition of the Promotion of the Alternative (Theatre) Scene ("Alternatywnej Sceny Promocyjnej"), organized by the Office Box Association and Montownia Artistic Centre. Montownia will host shows by 10 independent theatre groups from Poland, often tied to the alternative scene. The festival begins on the 12th of June at 7 p.m. with the play "Teczki" by the 8th Day Theatre from Poznan. The whole festival will last through the 15th of August, with 2-3 shows per month. Performances are in Polish, and tickets for each show are 25 PLN (15 PLN discounted).

when - Until 15th August
where - Montownia Artistic Centre, ul. Konopnickiej 6
more info - click here

Body and Voice

"Body and Voice" ("Ciało i Głos" in Polish) is a theatre workshop led by Katsura Kan and Tomasz Rodowicz of the Chorea Theatre in the Wilanow Palace Museum. The workshops are meant for actors working professionally in the theatre or involved in modern dance, as the workshops will be quite physically challenging and are meant to test the strength and abilities of actors in a final workshop presentation. The workshop will be led by Katsura Kan, a master in the art of butoh. Applications to participate in the workshop will be accepted until the 30th of May.

when - 2nd until 15th July
where - Wilanow Palace Museum, ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 10/16
more info - click here

Warsaw Summer Jazz Days 2007

The Warsaw Summer Jazz Days Festival is perhaps the biggest event for jazz in the country (despite Cracow's reputation for being the jazz capital of Poland), and this year's festival looks like it might top them all. With a list of performers as impressive as this one, including Wynton Marsalis, Natalie Cole, Ornette Coleman, Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood, this is one festival that should not be missed, particularly for fans of jazz music of all ages. Each concert starts at 8 p.m. and tickets will be available pre-sale for each performance.

when - 4th until 18th July
where - Torwar i Teatr Muzyczny ROMA, ul. Nowogrodzka 49
more info - click here

Concert: Porcupine Tree

British experimental band Porcupine Tree are promoting their newest album, "Fear of a Blank Planet," and stopping off at Stodola in Warsaw to play what will inevitably be a legendary gig. In a musical reality dominated by popcorn pop and copies of copies of copies of what once was good music, Porcupine Tree stand out as a band willing to break the boundaries of what is popular and explore the true essence of music. Their passion for experimentation leads them to utilize the newest technologies, while combining words and melodies and retaining the spirit of music from twenty or thirty years ago, when the pure pursuit of harmony was what mattered. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert starts at 8 p.m. and the party will go on until midnight, with tickets going for 100 PLN pre-sale, 110 PLN at the door.

when - 6th July
where - Stodola, ul. Batorego 10
more info - click here

Concert: George Michael

Following the success of his last European tour promoting the album "25 Live," George Michael announced further tour dates, this time playing open air venues all over Europe, for a total of 49 concerts in 11 countries. Tickets for the pop star have been selling fast, so be sure to get yours as soon as possible if George Michael is a must-see for you. Tickets go on sale on the 2nd of April, and prices start at 180 PLN and go up to 300 PLN for the best seats.

when - 11th July
where - Tor Wyscigow Konnych Sluzewiec, ul. Pulawska 266
more info - click here

Grand Wizard Theodore

Zulunation Poland (Maxflorec) invites everyone to see one of the pioneers and DJs responsible for the popularity of scratching, Grand Wizard Theodore, or Theodore Livingston from New York City, US. Supporting Grand Wizard Theodore will be DJ Abdool. The show will take place at Harlem Club, and tickets are 10 PLN before 10 pm, 15 PLN after.

when - 20th July
where - Harlem, ul. Kolejowa 8/10
more info - click here

Concert: The Rolling Stones

The bad old (literally these days) boys of rock are back in Poland, this time to rock the Sluzewiec Horse Racing track. These boys may not get no satisfaction, but if you manage to catch them while they're still rocking (and with the amount of drugs these guys have done it's amazing they still are) you'll definitely be satisfied! Tickets go on sale starting May 19th, and cost between a reasonable 165 PLN to a lofty 1,015 PLN - we hope those VIP seats include a backstage pass and a sniff of whatever the Stones are having!

when - 25th July
where - Tor Wyscigow Konnych Sluzewiec, ul. Pulawska 266
more info - click here