Edinburgh International Festival
The Edinburgh International Festival is an unparalleled celebration of music, theatre, opera and dance performed across our beautiful city.
About Edinburgh International Festival
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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.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.
Upcoming Events at Edinburgh International Festival
Edinburgh International Festival: Make it Happen
Set in Edinburgh, Make it Happen sees legendary actor Brian Cox return to the Scottish stage for the first time in a decade as Adam Smith, the ghost of fiscal past.
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The Edinburgh International Festival returns from 1st to 24th August 2025 with live performance throughout the city.
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Edinburgh International Festival: The Dan Daw Show
This daring International Festival debut fuses sexy choreography and touching theatricality to take a stand against the disabling forces of society.
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Edinburgh International Festival: NYO2: Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony
Cellist Alisa Weilerstein and Carnegie Hall's NYO2 take on a thrilling pairing of Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev.
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Edinburgh International Festival: The Big Singalong
Gather friends and family to start your Festival season on a high note at Ross Bandstand on 3rd August for The Big Singlong, joined by Scottish national treasure Dougie MacLean!
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Edinburgh International Festival: NYO2: Family Concert
Suitable for children and their grown-ups, we invite curious minds discover the magic of classical music in this joyful concert at the Usher Hall.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Best of Monteverdi Choir
Led by conductor Jonathan Sells, the Baroque choir present a dazzling showcase of their repertoire.
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Edinburgh International Festival: María Dueñas & Alexander Malofeev
Maria Dueñas and Alexander Malofeev are one of the most inspired pairings in the recital world. This collaboration illuminates works by Karol Szymanowski, Claude Debussy and César Franck.
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Edinburgh International Festival: The Ceilidh Sessions
Gather with friends and family at Princes Street Gardens for this lively celebration of music and dance, where Scottish tradition meets Baroque flair!
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Edinburgh International Festival: Holst’s The Planets
Let the London Philharmonic Orchestra takes you on the ultimate cosmic journey at the Usher Hall on 5th August!
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Edinburgh International Festival: Pavel Kolesnikov & Samson Tsoy
Join creative collaborators Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy for a deeply spiritual recital of piano works, ranging from Bach to Messiaen.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Bruce Liu plays Ravel
Join Bruce Liu, Myung-Whun Chung and Beijing’s NCPA Orchestra for jazz-infused Ravel and Saint-Saëns’s spectacular Organ Symphony.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Mark Simpson & Richard Uttley
Mark Simpson brings dual talents as composer and clarinettist to an intimate programme featuring Johannes Brahms and his own works.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Hugh Cutting & George Ireland
Experience the expansive range of vocal music, from Baroque arias to specially commissioned contemporary works.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Works and Days
Birth, life and death converge at the heart of this visually spectacular performance, as theatre collective FC Bergman seeks the truth about our place in the wider world.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk
Explore the musical love triangle between Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Bach & Bartók
Budapest Festival Orchestra return to the Festival with a programme that celebrates their Hungarian heritage and showcases the vibrancy of music written for dance.
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Edinburgh International Festival: La clemenza di Tito
Under the baton of Maxim Emelyanychev, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus continue their electrifying explorations of Mozart at the International Festival.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Fibonacci Quartet
One of Europe’s leading string quartets, Fibonacci Quartet, brings their trademark brilliance to a programme of Scottish and Czech music!
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Edinburgh International Festival: NFM Leopoldinum: Bizet’s Carmen Suite
Experience the unforgettable music of Bizet’s opera Carmen alongside moving pieces by Bacewicz and Strauss.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Piotr Anderszewski
The Polish pianist Piotr Anderszewski is known for his intimate and subtle playing style. It is beautifully suited to this programme of small-but-perfectly-formed works.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Sitkovetsky Trio
Experience evocative works for piano trio, from Beethoven to a UK premiere by Iranian composer Mahdis Golzar Kashani from the Sitkovetsky Trio!
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Edinburgh International Festival: LSO: Beethoven & Shostakovich
Nicola Benedetti and Sir Antonio Pappano co-present this concert, introducing two monumental symphonies by composers reckoning with mortality and the world around them.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Bostridge, Pappano & Members of the LSO
Expressive singing reveals the emotional depth of Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Edward Elgar.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Orpheus and Eurydice
Circa joins with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a chorus from Scottish Opera for the European premiere of this electrifying production of Gluck’s seminal opera at The Edinburgh Playhouse.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Cutting the Tightrope
This collection of short plays audaciously explores the power of the arts in today's world events, political resistance and displays of artistic freedom.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Bomsori Kim & Thomas Hoppe
Award-winning violinist Bomsori Kim is joined by eminent pianist Thomas Hoppe in this stunning recital celebrating Poland's rich musical heritage.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Book of Mountains and Seas
Ancient Chinese myths inspire Huang Ruo's opera, confronting humanity's complex relationship with nature.
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Edinburgh International Festival: LSO: A Sea Symphony
Celebrate 20th-century British treasures from Elizabeth Maconchy to Ralph Vaughan Williams performed by the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO).
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Edinburgh International Festival: Florian Boesch & Malcolm Martineau
Celebrated for their Lieder performances, this duo showcases the lyrical beauty of Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Mary, Queen of Scots
Renaissance meets punk in Scottish Ballet’s retelling of the story of one of Scotland’s most famous women.
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Edinburgh International Festival: LSO: Puccini’s Suor Angelica
Sir Antonio Pappano conducts the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) in Giacomo Puccini’s heartfelt opera.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Ryan Wang
Ryan Wang, BBC Young Musician of the Year winner, takes on an all-Chopin programme that showcases extraordinary mastery of the piano.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Shostakovich Inside Out
Explore Dmitri Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony as Aurora Orchestra unpacks its drama, depth and defiance.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Dementia Friendly Concert
New to the International Festival this year, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performs familiar repertoire for people with dementia and their loved ones.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Faustus in Africa!
Through puppetry and animation, Handspring Puppet Company reimagine Faust's downfall and reframe the classic tale to confront colonialism and the climate emergency.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Belcea Quartet
Revitalising and transforming chamber music from the 18th and 19th centuries, Belcea Quartet's provocative recital spans Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Mozart.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Breaking Bach
Discover Johann Sebastian Bach from a fresh perspective in this world premiere where classical music meets hip hop and contemporary dance!
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Edinburgh International Festival: As You Like It A Radical Retelling
Encounter Cliff Cardinal's radical reimagining of Shakespeare's classic in this unapologetic production at Church Hill Theatre!
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Edinburgh International Festival: Dunedin Consort & John Butt
This leading baroque ensemble revives Handel's sparkling comic cantata, unearthing the origins of his operatic masterpieces.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Bernstein & Stravinsky
Conductor Karina Canellakis returns to the Festival and leads the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (SSO) through a monumental programme featuring Messiaen, Stravinsky and Bernstein.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Pictures at an Exhibition
Take a whistlestop round-the-world trip with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and William Barton at the Usher Hall on Friday 22nd August!
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Edinburgh International Festival: Figures in Extinction
Dance and theatre legends Crystal Pite and Simon McBurney unite with Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) to confront the climate crisis through spellbinding movement and sound.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Emily D’Angelo & Sophia Muñoz
Join mezzo soprano Emily D'Angelo and pianist Sophia Muñoz for a programme of epic scope that explores humanity's connection to the natural world.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Leonidas Kavakos & ApollΩn Ensemble
Johann Sebastian Bach’s violin concertos shine in this electrifying performance with soloist and ensemble in synergy.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Come and Sing Elijah
Join fellow singers in a full-day workshop, culminating in a performance of highlights from Mendelssohn's epic Elijah.
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Edinburgh International Festival: Closing Concert: Mendelssohn’s Elijah
In this Closing Concert, discover Felix Mendelssohn's triumphant oratorio anew as the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and Royal Scottish National Orchestra breathe life into his most famous work.
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Red, Red Rose Street
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All Festivals listings in Edinburgh
Sponsored Links
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is one of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture on the planet.
READ MORE
FuturePlay Festival
Formerly the Edinburgh Digital Entertainment Festival, FuturePlay is on from the 3rd to 26th August.
READ MORE
TravFest 2025
TravFest 2025 sees the iconic festival and fringe venue showcase an incredible programme of brilliant and bold theatre.
READ MORE
NT Art Month
NT Art Month is a month-long celebration of the incredible arts quarter in Edinburgh's New Town.
READ MORE
Edinburgh Horror Festival
The Edinburgh Horror Festival is one of the most popular Hallowe'en events in Edinburgh. Incorporating theatre, comedy, magic, spoken word, movies, games, improv, workshops and more!
READ MORE
Falastin Film Festival
Falastin Film Festival (FFF) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective of Palestinians and allies dedicated to bringing Palestinian art to the Edinburgh and Highland audiences.
READ MORE
Red, Red Rose Street
Red Red Rose Street returns for 2018 with a festival of Burns’ music and words running from 25th - 27th January.
READ MORE
Edinburgh International Childrens Festival
Edinburgh International Children's Festival of performing arts for children and young people.
READ MORE
Edinburghs Hogmanay
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is back to celebrate the end of 2025 and the new year with an unforgettable experience for Edinburgh and beyond.
READ MORE
Push the Boat Out
Push the Boat Out returns for 2023. Join us for three epic days, 24th – 26th November, throughout Edinburgh’s iconic Summerhall.
READ MORE
Edinburghs Christmas
Edinburgh's Christmas transforms the beautiful city centre with festive fun for all the family, including traditional Christmas Markets, funfair rides, spectacular live outdoor events and much more!
READ MORE
Festival of Migration
Edinburgh's Festival of Migration, celebrating the vibrant cultural diversity of our city and our neighbours!
READ MORE
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