Malta Festival is deeply rooted in Poznań, its public spaces, and the energy generated by its residents. This year's open-air programme is exceptionally rich.

Sky-high spectacles above Plac Wolności and the Old Market Square
On Friday, June 20, at 3:00 PM, the 35th edition of Malta Festival opens with "Open Lines," a spectacular high-wire performance by French troupe Basinga. Taking place almost entirely on a tightrope stretched over Plac Wolności, the show features co-creator Tatiana-Mosio Bongonga. This breathtaking display of strength, balance, and courage highlights the universal need for cooperation and equilibrium. The audience will be invited to actively participate by helping to hold the wire, becoming part of this feat of near-superhuman artistry.

On Saturday and Sunday (June 21-22), the theme of aerial spectacle continues with "RoZéO" by French company Cie Gratte Cie, based in Arles. Suspended above the Old Market Square, performers will sway with the wind and pulse to live music in a hypnotic aerial installation that defies physics and speaks to the complex relationship between humanity and nature.

Music and theatre take to the streets!
Balancing the contemplative tone of the aerial shows will be lively fun from roaming brass bands. Crowd favourites like Italy's explosive Bandakadabra return for an encore after last year's sensation. Also bringing high energy: the bicycle-powered Spanish group La Dinamo and the 15-member French ensemble La Confiserie, who will sweep the streets into a fiery disco frenzy.

This year's theatre programme also spills into the streets and squares of Poznań. "Once Upon a Time in Glutendorf", directed by Ewa Kaczmarek and Daniel Stachuła, dives into the history of Poznań's grassroots people's theatre to reflect on the needs of today. Performed aboard a vintage Jelcz bus, the show puts ideals into practice, uniting diverse artistic communities. Free tickets available at the Festival Centre the day before and the day of the performance.

Beloved company Teatr Biuro Podróży returns with a premiere of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" at Stara Rzeźnia. A unique experience awaits with "HIT OUT" by Italian collective Parini Secondo, where skipping ropes become instruments in a percussive symphony. The group also presents the open-air show "SPEEED," an electrifying homage to Para Para dance and Eurobeat music. Entry to both shows is free.

Outdoors and in the Festival Club
The Festival Club at Ratajczaka Street will also host open and free events. In collaboration with Kulczyk Foundation, a series of discussions will explore feminine and masculine archetypes, female energy, and menopausal transformation. Dominika Kulczyk will join the first two panels, as the festival focuses on women's experiences from multiple perspectives. Partner organisations include the Julia Woykowska Foundation, Local Girls Movement, and the Pogłosy Choir, who will co-create a programme of workshops, debates, and initiatives supporting women's awareness, embodiment, and wellbeing. Genealogy workshops and improvisation sessions exploring female roles will also take place.

The same venue will host the "Women Talking" literary series, featuring celebrated female authors whose prose reflects on today's world. Journalist Michał Nogaś will interview Nike Award winner Joanna Bator, acclaimed UK author Gwendoline Riley, Italian literature ambassador Claudia Durastanti, and the rapidly rising star Eliza Clark.

The new "Cinema of Women" series invites audiences to Pasaż Quadro on the Old Market Square for a week of outstanding films followed by late-night conversations with leading female filmmakers, actors, and SWPS University experts. Guests will include directors Kinga Dębska, Agnieszka Holland, Agnieszka Smoczyńska and actresses Maria Dębska, Dorota Kolak, and Marta Ojrzyńska. Curated by Anna Serdiukow, these free screenings and discussions run from June 20 to 28 in a festival space designed in collaboration with interior design company VOX.

Theatre from Poland and beyond
Malta Festival also presents the best of Poznań's theatre. At Teatr Polski, audiences can see "Pygmalion" directed by Mikita Ilyinczyk, exploring future societal tensions, as well as Piotr Pacześniak's "Querelle," a noir-inflected tale of love and guilt. Also featured: "The Death of Chopin," "Wiera Gran," and "The New Pan Tadeusz (But It's Rap)" from Teatr Polski.

The festival is framed by two weekends starring iconic women with a powerful cultural impact. Opening weekend features Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton, who, together with fashion curator Olivier Saillard, presents "Embodying Pasolini," a tribute to the legendary filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini. This unique collaboration will be staged only once worldwide - in Poznań, at Malta Festival 2025.

The final weekend honours Agnieszka Holland. At Aula Artis, the opera "Monster's Voice," inspired by the film "Europa Europa" and the real-life story of Samuel Perel, will be performed. Created by Robert Bolesto, Agnieszka Smoczyńska, and Alek Nowak, the piece builds a mythological landscape evoking themes of exclusion, concealment, and survival. This world premiere on June 27-28 is a co-production of Malta Festival, the National Centre for Culture, and the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk, and also marks Poland's EU Council Presidency.

Another premiere, "A Woman Alone," directed by Anna Smolar, reimagines Irena from the film of the same name in a contemporary context, asking what has really changed. Co-produced with Teatr Powszechny in Warsaw, the performance on June 28 will be accompanied by a side programme curated by Local Girls Movement.

International highlights include the Polish premiere of "The Rite of Spring" by Italian company Dewey Dell, who will also present the hypnotic ritualistic show "I'll Do, I'll Do, I'll Do." A standout will be "ULTRAFICCIÓN No. 1 / Shards of Time," a boundary-pushing open-air piece by Spanish collective El Conde de Torrefiel. Told through words and sound without a traditional stage, the show takes place on a meadow near Lake Malta, reached at sunset by the Maltanka train.

Music stage highlights
The eclectic music programme features: Moloko's former frontwoman and art-pop icon Róisín Murphy; progressive disco favourites L'Impératrice; indie-folk bard Fink; jazz innovators BADBADNOTGOOD; and deep soul stars from Australia, The Teskey Brothers. Supporting acts include: Nordic pop duo ROYA; the triumphant return of Tomasz Makowiecki with his album "Bailando"; hoshii led by Kuba Więcek; versatile DJ/producer Poté; and Americana-inspired Robert Cichy. One of the biggest sensations will be interdisciplinary icon and RuPaul's Drag Race star Alaska Thunderfuck, in a bold, explosive live show.

The 35th jubilee edition of Malta Festival will take place in Poznań from June 20 to 28, 2025. With love!

For more, see: Malta Festival 2025 website

materials made available by the organizer: Malta Festival

Malta Festival 2025
20-28.06.2025,
venues across the city,
tickets: eBilet

© Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania 2025