Bass Astral, Zitong Wang & Muzycy Filharmonii Poznańskiej in the special BITTER Chopin, SWEET Chopin project by PKO Bank Polski and BitterSweet Festival!

The festival’s final night and a spectacular finale unfolding across two stages. BitterSweet Festival and PKO Bank Polski invite you to experience an extraordinary special project – the culmination of three festival days in a truly unique style. BITTER Chopin, SWEET Chopin is a musical journey featuring Bass Astral, internationally acclaimed pianist Zitong Wang, and Muzycy Filharmonii Poznańskiej. On August 15th at Park Cytadela in Poznań!

A meeting of electronic music, orchestra and piano in one shared musical narrative unfolding across two stages – the PKO Bank Polski Rotunda and the BitterSweet (Main) Stage. The project will connect two festival spaces, creating a unique spectacle prepared especially for the Poznań edition of BitterSweet Festival. Before the audience’s eyes, electronic music, classical sounds and contemporary interpretations of Fryderyk Chopin’s work will come together to create a grand finale closing three days of festival excitement.

At the heart of BITTER Chopin, SWEET Chopin is a musical journey leading from Bass Astral’s electronic reinterpretation of Chopin, through the shared motif of The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony”, to a symphonic finale featuring Chopin Competition laureate Zitong Wang and musicians of the Poznań Philharmonic conducted by Łukasz Borowicz. This is a unique event, taking place exclusively at BitterSweet Festival, and another celebration of classical music in this year’s festival programme. The PKO Bank Polski Stage will also feature Hoshii, Marcin Masecki, the Amadeus Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra with special guest Maxima Sitarz, Break Me Amadeus and Michał Stochel, the Poznański Chór Chłopięcy, and the Warszawska Orkiestra Sentymentalna, among others.

As the Main Partner of Poland’s largest music festivals, PKO Bank Polski consistently supports projects that bring classical music together with popular culture and present Poland’s cultural heritage in new, contemporary contexts. The BITTER Chopin, SWEET Chopin project isanother example of this approach.

“Chopin’s music has truly become the refrain of this summer. Following its presence at Poland’s biggest stadium and festival events, the time has come for a unique finale in Poznań. The BITTER Chopin, SWEET Chopin project shows that art can break out of its traditionalframeworks, and that Polish classical music resonates far beyond concert halls – it can be a vibrant part of contemporary culture and inspire entirely new musical experiences,” says Marcin Mackiewicz, Manager at PKO Bank Polski’s Sponsorship and Local Marketing Department.

Chopin’s music is being heard in an exceptionally diverse range of settings this year. As a strategic partner of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, PKO Bank Polski has supported projects connected with the composer’s work for many years. The BITTER Chopin, SWEET Chopin projectwill be a unique, spectacular finale to this year’s initiatives showcasing Poland’s classical musical heritage in unexpected contexts and bringing it to new audiences.

The second edition of BitterSweet Festival takes place 13–15 August 2026 at Poznań Citadel Park. The lineup includes Gorillaz, Robbie Williams, twenty one pilots, Lorde, Major Lazer, Tom Odell, Ciara, Jessie J, Rita Ora and Chet Faker, with more artists to be announced. More information is available at www.bittersweetfestival.pl.

BitterSweet 2 is organised by the Poznań-based concert promoter Good Taste Production. The festival’s title sponsor is PKO Bank Polski. Enea is a sponsor, while CocaCola and Somersby are supporting sponsors. Miasto Poznań is the strategic partner. Media partners include Onet, Radio ZET and Chillizet. The event is held under the Honorary Patronage of the Mayor of Miasto Poznań.