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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.
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.
READ MOREThe Edinburgh International Festival returns from 1st to 24th August 2025 with live performance throughout the city.
READ MOREThis daring International Festival debut fuses sexy choreography and touching theatricality to take a stand against the disabling forces of society.
READ MOREGather 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!
READ MORECellist Alisa Weilerstein and Carnegie Hall's NYO2 take on a thrilling pairing of Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev.
READ MOREMaria 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.
READ MOREGather with friends and family at Princes Street Gardens for this lively celebration of music and dance, where Scottish tradition meets Baroque flair!
READ MORESuitable for children and their grown-ups, we invite curious minds discover the magic of classical music in this joyful concert at the Usher Hall.
READ MORELed by conductor Jonathan Sells, the Baroque choir present a dazzling showcase of their repertoire.
READ MORELet the London Philharmonic Orchestra takes you on the ultimate cosmic journey at the Usher Hall on 5th August!
READ MOREJoin creative collaborators Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy for a deeply spiritual recital of piano works, ranging from Bach to Messiaen.
READ MOREMark Simpson brings dual talents as composer and clarinettist to an intimate programme featuring Johannes Brahms and his own works.
READ MOREJoin Bruce Liu, Myung-Whun Chung and Beijing’s NCPA Orchestra for jazz-infused Ravel and Saint-Saëns’s spectacular Organ Symphony.
READ MOREExperience the expansive range of vocal music, from Baroque arias to specially commissioned contemporary works.
READ MOREBirth, 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.
READ MOREExplore the musical love triangle between Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms.
READ MOREBudapest Festival Orchestra return to the Festival with a programme that celebrates their Hungarian heritage and showcases the vibrancy of music written for dance.
READ MOREOne of Europe’s leading string quartets, Fibonacci Quartet, brings their trademark brilliance to a programme of Scottish and Czech music!
READ MOREUnder the baton of Maxim Emelyanychev, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus continue their electrifying explorations of Mozart at the International Festival.
READ MOREExperience the unforgettable music of Bizet’s opera Carmen alongside moving pieces by Bacewicz and Strauss.
READ MOREThe 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.
READ MOREExperience evocative works for piano trio, from Beethoven to a UK premiere by Iranian composer Mahdis Golzar Kashani from the Sitkovetsky Trio!
READ MORENicola Benedetti and Sir Antonio Pappano co-present this concert, introducing two monumental symphonies by composers reckoning with mortality and the world around them.
READ MOREExpressive singing reveals the emotional depth of Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Edward Elgar.
READ MORECirca 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.
READ MOREAward-winning violinist Bomsori Kim is joined by eminent pianist Thomas Hoppe in this stunning recital celebrating Poland's rich musical heritage.
READ MOREAncient Chinese myths inspire Huang Ruo's opera, confronting humanity's complex relationship with nature.
READ MORECelebrate 20th-century British treasures from Elizabeth Maconchy to Ralph Vaughan Williams performed by the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO).
READ MOREThis collection of short plays audaciously explores the power of the arts in today's world events, political resistance and displays of artistic freedom.
READ MORECelebrated for their Lieder performances, this duo showcases the lyrical beauty of Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann.
READ MORERenaissance meets punk in Scottish Ballet’s retelling of the story of one of Scotland’s most famous women.
READ MORESir Antonio Pappano conducts the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) in Giacomo Puccini’s heartfelt opera.
READ MORERyan Wang, BBC Young Musician of the Year winner, takes on an all-Chopin programme that showcases extraordinary mastery of the piano.
READ MOREExplore Dmitri Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony as Aurora Orchestra unpacks its drama, depth and defiance.
READ MORENew to the International Festival this year, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performs familiar repertoire for people with dementia and their loved ones.
READ MOREEncounter Cliff Cardinal's radical reimagining of Shakespeare's classic in this unapologetic production at Church Hill Theatre!
READ MOREThrough puppetry and animation, Handspring Puppet Company reimagine Faust's downfall and reframe the classic tale to confront colonialism and the climate emergency.
READ MORERevitalising and transforming chamber music from the 18th and 19th centuries, Belcea Quartet's provocative recital spans Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Mozart.
READ MOREDiscover Johann Sebastian Bach from a fresh perspective in this world premiere where classical music meets hip hop and contemporary dance!
READ MOREConductor Karina Canellakis returns to the Festival and leads the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (SSO) through a monumental programme featuring Messiaen, Stravinsky and Bernstein.
READ MOREThis leading baroque ensemble revives Handel's sparkling comic cantata, unearthing the origins of his operatic masterpieces.
READ MOREDance and theatre legends Crystal Pite and Simon McBurney unite with Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) to confront the climate crisis through spellbinding movement and sound.
READ MOREJoin mezzo soprano Emily D'Angelo and pianist Sophia Muñoz for a programme of epic scope that explores humanity's connection to the natural world.
READ MORETake a whistlestop round-the-world trip with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and William Barton at the Usher Hall on Friday 22nd August!
READ MOREJohann Sebastian Bach’s violin concertos shine in this electrifying performance with soloist and ensemble in synergy.
READ MOREJoin fellow singers in a full-day workshop, culminating in a performance of highlights from Mendelssohn's epic Elijah.
READ MOREIn 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.
READ MOREThe Edinburgh Festival Fringe is one of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture on the planet.
READ MOREEdinburgh Science Festival is an educational charity that aims to inspire all ages and backgrounds.
READ MORENT Art Month is a month-long celebration of the incredible arts quarter in Edinburgh's New Town.
READ MOREThe Edinburgh Women's Fiction Festival is a literary festival celebrating writing for, by, and about women.
READ MORESet up in 1978, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival now presents high quality musicians from all over the world.
READ MOREPush the Boat Out returns for 2023. Join us for three epic days, 24th – 26th November, throughout Edinburgh’s iconic Summerhall.
READ MORELeith Festival is an array of colour, sound, culture and pageantry that takes place over nine days in June.
READ MOREBurns&Beyond returns in January 2024, celebrating the life and legacy of Robert Burns through traditional and contemporary art and culture from across Scotland and Beyond!
READ MORE2024 marks the 7th year of ScotlandsFest, more than 40 captivating events celebrating the vibrant literary, cultural and political landscape of Scotland.
READ MOREA festival celebrating Edinburgh Gaelic community past and present. A' dèanamh fèill air coimhearsnachd Gàidhlig Dhùn Èideann.
READ MOREWelcome to BedFest 2025. Strap in and snuggle up, it’s the Bedlam Festival: Cosy Style.
READ MOREFalastin 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.
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