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The Edinburgh International Festival was the inspired idea of Rudolf Bing, then the General Manager of Glyndebourne Opera, Henry Harvey Wood, the Head of the British Council in Scotland, and leaders from the City of Edinburgh. It was established in 1947 as a world class cultural event to bring together audiences and artists from around the world, and over 70 years has gone from strength to strength.
For three weeks in August, Scotland’s capital becomes an unparalleled celebration of the performing arts and an annual meeting point for people of all nations. The International Festival presents a programme featuring the finest performers and ensembles from the worlds of dance, opera, music and theatre.
Our impact extends beyond the annual programme: our community learning and engagement and professional development programmes run throughout the year, reaching the widest possible audiences and contributing to the cultural and social life of Edinburgh and Scotland.
Amy Liptrot’s bestselling memoir is brought to life in an epic and elemental world premiere at Church Hill Theatre.
READ MOREScottish Highland and Island musical traditions collide with brand-new compositions by folk band Breabach.
READ MOREThe Edinburgh International Festival returns from 2nd to 25th August 2024 with live performance throughout the city.
READ MOREThe voices of Edinburgh’s communities shape an ever-evolving sound installation inside St Giles’ Cathedral's magnificent interior.
READ MOREFerocious and emotionally charged, Internationaal Theater Amsterdam’s production of Heinrich von Kleist’s Penthesilea is a powerful fusion of a rock concert and an ancient tragic love story.
READ MORELatin American music meets Afro-Cuban and contemporary classical in this bold interpretation of Christ’s Crucifixion.
READ MOREJourney to 17th-century Italy with Il Pomo d'Oro and countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński in an enchanting performance of early Baroque music.
READ MOREKick off your International Festival in style with Festival Director Nicola Benedetti and handpicked music icons.
READ MOREEdinburgh Festival Chorus revives Mendelssohn's arrangement of Johann Sebastian Bach’s sublime piece about Christ's last days on earth before his resurrection.
READ MOREThe legendary Brazilian dance company blends Brazilian forms with ballet and contemporary dance to create a unique style, illuminating the uniqueness of Brazilian culture.
READ MOREMulti-talented British-Indian musician and composer Datta introduces the International Festival to the sounds of the ancient sarod.
READ MOREFrom sacred hymns to Latin American pop culture, Schola Cantorum de Venezuela shares their diverse repetoire.
READ MORESidiki Dembele furthers the mission of his griot ancestors, with captivating drumming rituals from West Africa.
READ MOREOne of the UK’s most accomplished chamber groups showcases music from Clara Schumann, Helen Grime and Antonín Dvořák.
READ MOREJakub Hrůša and the Bamberger Symphoniker bring a little-known symphonic masterpiece to light.
READ MORESoprano Elizabeth Llewellyn and pianist Simon Lepper delve into the colourful world and emotive landscapes of the late Romantic era.
READ MORETake a deep dive into one of the first multicultural symphonies with the Bamberger Symphoniker, narrator Gerard McBurney and guest artists.
READ MORERenowned French pianist Alexandre Kantorow showcases the visions of four great composer-pianists in a captivating recital at The Queen's Hall Edinburgh!
READ MOREThe Leonore Piano Trio mentors last year’s rising stars of classical music.
READ MOREGuest curators create a mixed bill of music and inspired conversation, featuring handpicked artists from the International Festival programme.
READ MOREThe world premiere of Aakash Odedra’s latest work creates a mediative exchange between the Indian classical dance Sufi Kathak and Islamic poetry.
READ MOREMusician Hamilton de Holanda stages a vibrant union of Brazilian choro and contemporary jazz.
READ MOREFrom Bach's Baroque elegance to Piazzolla's Argentine flair, French guitarist Raphaël Feuillâtre performs a virtuosic programme comprising centuries of music.
READ MOREJakub Hrůša and the Bamberger Symphoniker pair a late masterpiece by Antonín Dvořák with his son-in-law Josef Suk’s most ambitious orchestral work.
READ MOREAfter last year's acclaimed The Magic Flute, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus, along with their Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev, further their exploration of Mozart's operas.
READ MOREFèis Rois' Ceilidh Trail celebrates their 25th anniversary with traditional music played by professional young musicians.
READ MOREBerlin Philharmonic's principal horn, Stefan Dohr, presents Brahms's poignant Horn Trio and Ligeti's 20th-century masterpiece, inspired by the former's brilliance.
READ MOREAnimated by his collaborations with Jarvis Cocker, Feist and Daft Punk, musical maverick Chilly Gonzales steps out onto the stage with his brand-new show, GONZO.
READ MOREVocalist Peni Candra Rini sings to traditional percussion from her native Indonesia.
READ MOREExperience Scottish Opera’s immersive staging of Igor Stravinsky’s opera in the unique setting of the National Museum of Scotland.
READ MOREThe acclaimed Chiaroscuro Quartet brings the bygone era of Haydn and Beethoven back to life at The Queen's Hall Edinburgh.
READ MORELed by Maxim Emelyanychev on the fortepiano, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra soloists present captivating renditions from the world of Mozart.
READ MOREDon't miss this rare chance to hear Youssou N’Dour mix ancient traditions with eclectic world influences at the Usher Hall on 13th August!
READ MOREThe São Paulo-based artist collective takes on an eclectic array of compositions, spanning French baroque to Afro-samba.
READ MOREDiverse compositions spanning Janáček to Lianne La Havas are woven together by Sheku Kanneh-Mason and pianist Harry Baker.
READ MOREDiscover the São Paulo-based collective’s musical process as the ensemble performs all around you at the Usher Hall!
READ MORERevel in popular Brazilian music with the São Paulo-based collective Ilumina, as part of their International Festival residency.
READ MOREBritish singer Ian Bostridge joins Edinburgh-born pianist Steven Osborne for Franz Schubert’s visionary song cycle Schwanengesang.
READ MOREStep inside the world of 17th-century London, as the Usher Hall gets catapulted through time and re-invented as a public drinking house!
READ MORELose yourself in Grechaninov’s hypnotic sound in a late-night concert given by the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and their director James Grossmith!
READ MORELed by conductor Gianandrea Noseda, the European Union Youth Orchestra leads an educational expedition across the instruments of the grand ensemble.
READ MORERecline on a beanbag and lose yourself in the epic story of a loveable rogue turned chivalrous knight at the Usher Hall on 16th August!
READ MOREGuest curators create a mixed bill of music and inspired conversation, featuring handpicked artists from the International Festival programme.
READ MOREThe acclaimed Komische Oper Berlin and director Kirill Serebrennikov, known for his daring, satirical productions, present Mozart’s iconic comic opera.
READ MOREThe International Festival regulars perform two Viennese classics alongside the European premiere of Nokuthula Ngwenyama’s cosmically inspired Flow.
READ MOREPull up a beanbag next to the musicians and be swept along by Mahler’s story, which culminates in the Adagietto, the composer’s great declaration of love.
READ MOREViolist Jennifer Stumm and violinist Liza Ferschtman assemble an electrifying cohort of up-and-coming musicians.
READ MORECharismatic jazz musician Domo Branch returns to The Hub for a night of original music and improvisation.
READ MOREIranian-American musician Mahan Esfahani reveals the rich harpsichord repertoire of the late Baroque period.
READ MOREThe Hallé and Sir Mark Elder return to present Mahler's dramatic Fifth Symphony in its entirety alongside Lili Boulanger's Psalm 130.
READ MOREExperience the vocal versatility of Thomas Quasthoff, the German bass-baritone who swapped classical for jazz.
READ MOREThree pioneering musical languages dramatically contrast in this expedition of the concerto form, guided by conductor Elim Chan.
READ MOREThe infinitely gifted singer-songwriter Cat Power takes on Bob Dylan’s legendary 1966 'Royal Albert Hall' concert as part of the Edinburgh International Festival!
READ MOREEncounter the rich musical traditions of Egypt and the Levant with Mustafa Said, award-winning Egyptian singer, musicologist and composer!
READ MOREThe piano virtuoso contrasts two exquisite pieces by Maurice Ravel with the second of Franz Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage.
READ MORETriumphant and hope-filled ensembles by Benjamin Britten and Joseph Haydn meet Wynton Marsalis’s vibrant celebration of New Orleans.
READ MOREThe Mandé jazz sensations blend West African folkloric music with the sounds of London's music scene.
READ MOREWomen composers hold the spotlight in this concert of 19th-century music at the Usher Hall on 20th August.
READ MOREThe Fifth Step, David Ireland's latest collaboration with the National Theatre of Scotland tells a complex story about men, intimacy and our belief systems.
READ MOREPierre-Laurent Aimard, one of the world’s greatest pianists, performs a collection of pieces from Schoenberg and other composers.
READ MOREThe UK premiere of a multimedia impassioned elegy for the victims of New York’s 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.
READ MOREBrass players on the cusp of their careers perform with their musical role models on stage.
READ MORECombining Arthurian cosplay and emotive contemporary dance, Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young present their major new dance work 'Assembly Hall' at the Festival Theatre!
READ MOREDiscover an 18th-century Dublin concert with music from Handel, Geminiani and the mysterious musician Mr Charles.
READ MOREIndie pop sensation Bat for Lashes unveils new songs in her euphoric art-pop sound at The Queens Hall Edinburgh on 23rd August as part of the Edinburgh International Festival.
READ MOREMulti-award-winning Japanese violinist Midori returns to the International Festival with her long-time recital partner, American pianist Özgür Aydin in a dazzling programme.
READ MOREExperience the works of two late-Romantic musical titans in celebration of conductor Sir Donald Runnicles's 70th birthday.
READ MOREEnter the hypnotic world of Scott Silven, the Scottish illusionist inspired by the landscape of his childhood.
READ MOREEstonian and Scottish music traditions converge for a night of piping and jazz improvisation at The Hub.
READ MOREBass-baritone and voice professor Thomas Quasthoff conducts 12 gifted students in an intimate performance of Gioachino Rossini's musical swansong, Petite Messe solennelle.
READ MOREThe Edinburgh Festival Chorus joins the orchestra for Verdi's powerful setting of the Catholic funeral mass.
READ MOREAmerican indie pop band The Magnetic Fields returns to the International Festival for a very special anniversary.
READ MOREOur Festival Director Nicola Benedetti joins Philharmonia as solo violinist in this family-friendly rendition of an instantly recognisable piece of classical music.
READ MOREWinner of the Scottish Awards for New Music for innovation in New Traditional Music, the GRIT Orchestra is bound to push the limits of genre and Celtic culture.
READ MOREComposer and award-winning bassist Endea Owens and her dazzling sextet, The Cookout, close The Hub series.
READ MORETo celebrate his 80th birthday year, world-renowned British conductor and International Festival regular Sir Andrew Davis returns to the first opera he ever conducted!
READ MOREThe Edinburgh Festival Fringe is one of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture on the planet.
READ MORESet up in 1978, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival now presents high quality musicians from all over the world.
READ MOREEdinburgh International Improv Festival is back in person at Scottish Storytelling Centre from 1st to 3rd March 2024.
READ MOREThe Saltire Festival returns for 2022 celebrating St. Andrew's Day in the Home of the Flag!
READ MOREFormerly the Edinburgh Digital Entertainment Festival, FuturePlay is on from the 3rd to 26th August.
READ MOREPush the Boat Out returns for 2023. Join us for three epic days, 24th – 26th November, throughout Edinburgh’s iconic Summerhall.
READ MOREThe Edinburgh International Harp Festival returns for its 42nd year in April, showcasing an eclectic array of harp talent from across the globe.
READ MOREEdinburgh’s Chinese New Year Festival returns in 2024 with a full programme of events and activities across the city to celebrate Chinese New Year and the start of The Year of the Dragon.
READ MOREA festival celebrating Edinburgh Gaelic community past and present. A' dèanamh fèill air coimhearsnachd Gàidhlig Dhùn Èideann.
READ MOREJoin us for a multi-art festival of visual and performing arts, including photography, art installations, painting, theatre, short films, live music and dance!
READ MOREThe Edinburgh International Film Festival will return from 15th to 21st August 2024 at the very heart of Edinburgh's festival season.
READ MOREThe Scottish International Storytelling Festival returns in October 2023.
READ MORECymera is Scotland's Festival of Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing and it returns to Edinburgh from 31st May to 2nd June.
READ MORE