2018

A spectacular free outdoor event, the Standard Life Aberdeen Opening Event: Five Telegrams will celebrate the start of the 2018 International Festival.

A large-scale free outdoor dance performance, Kadamati brings together hundreds of local dancers in a grand gesture of unity outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Be dazzled by the breathtaking pyrotechnics. Be transported by the joyful music. All against the backdrop of one of the world’s most iconic landmarks. 

The world's Culture Ministers will gather in the Scottish Parliament to debate the importance of culture, with a range of international speakers discussing the subject.

Co-written and co-directed by legendary theatre-maker Peter Brook, this new work is a compelling exploration of justice. 

In an extraordinary solo performance, Anna Deavere Smith draws upon 250 interviews and plays 19 separate individuals to examine the US’s ‘school-to-prison-pipeline’.

A breathtaking and tender spectacle of illusion, choreography and storytelling that explores the everyday drama of what makes a house a home.

A newly expanded version of David Greig and Gordon McIntyre’s heart-warming and humorous love-letter to Edinburgh featuring original songs.

Featuring an acclaimed cast of screen and stage actors, Marguerite Duras’s psychological thriller is given a radical stage reworking by iconoclastic British director Katie Mitchell.

Samuel Beckett’s iconic absurdist play is brought to life in what has been called its greatest production for 25 years.

This new stage adaptation of Édouard Louis’ acclaimed autobiographical novel tells the unflinching story of a boy growing up in poverty.

A captivating visual spectacle for families, bringing together dance, theatre and visual art to tell a fantastical tale of bravery.

A workshop presentation and discussion about Tyrone Guthrie’s legendary production of Sir David Lindsay's play.

Josef Haydn’s explosive oratorio The Creation opens the 2018 International Festival. Edward Gardner conducts the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and National Youth Choir of Scotland.

Christopher Bell directs the National Youth Choir of Scotland in four works that showcase the virtuosity of these young singers.

A varied programme that celebrates the big band sound – from Basie and Ellington to hip-hop and R&B.

Conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto, the youth orchestra are joined by world-renowned Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero for Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto.

Paul Daniel conducts works by French and Scottish composers, ending in Debussy’s transcendent La mer.

Martyn Brabbins, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Edinburgh Festival Chorus join forces to perform Vaughan Williams’s mighty A Sea Symphony and celebrate Scottish composer Thea Musgrave.

In the first of two concerts, Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO are joined by legendary pianist Krystian Zimerman for Bernstein’s Second Symphony.

In the second of their two-concert series, the LSO and Sir Simon Rattle perform Mahler’s Ninth Symphony – the composer’s struggle with the meaning of life.

Handel’s powerful oratorio is brought to life by Scotland’s finest period-instrument ensemble.

Jonathan Darlington conducts Copland’s iconic Appalachian Spring and Vaughan Williams’ Third Symphony, along with a new work from Canadian composer John Estacio.

Vasily Petrenko and the Oslo Philharmonic return to the International Festival with a vibrant programme of Richard Strauss and Prokofiev.

One of Scotland’s best-loved ensembles performs the cycle of Brahms’ symphonies over two nights. In this concert we hear his first and third symphonies.

In the second of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s Brahms cycle, Robin Ticciati conducts the second and fourth symphonies.

The CBSO performs heady works from Stravinsky, Ravel and Debussy, conducted by Ludovic Morlot.

This remarkable American youth ensemble perform music by Salonen and Rachmaninov. They are joined by violinist Simone Porter for Barber’s Violin Concerto.

Emerging young conductor Jakub Hrůša is joined by four soloists and Edinburgh Festival Chorus in one of classical music’s greatest choral epics.

Matthias Pintscher and the SCO perform with Pierre-Laurent Aimard in this remarkable work by Messiaen.

The finalists of one of the world’s most prized competition titles - Eurovision Young Musicians 2018 - perform with BBC SSO.

Celebrated conductor Marin Alsop directs a programme of Stravinsky, Schumann and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto.

Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra are joined by Nicola Benedetti to celebrate Leonard Bernstein on the centenary of his birth.

Daniel Harding and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra join with the NYCoS Girls Choir and Edinburgh Festival Chorus to perform Mahler’s immense masterpiece.

King Creosote returns to the International Festival as part of Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside at Leith Theatre. 

Genre-blurring band Django Django bring their live show to Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside at Leith Theatre.

A live performance of Varmints, the 2016 Scottish Album of the Year, as part of Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside at Leith Theatre.

Karine Polwart performs a soundtrack of seminal Scottish pop songs live as part of Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside at Leith Theatre.

A special evening at the International Festival from Neu! Reekie! as part of Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside at Leith Theatre.

A special International Festival Lau-Land by Scottish band Lau, featuring Joan As Police Woman, as part of Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside at Leith Theatre.

A unique performance of an epic orchestration of Martyn Bennett’s second album, Bothy Culture. Part of Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside. 

André de Ridder conducts s t a r g a z e for a re-imagining of Hi Scores by Boards of Canada as part of Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside.

Scotland's own Mogwai return to the International Festival for two special concerts as part of Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside at Leith Theatre.

An evening with Celtic Connections, part of Light on the Shore with Edinburgh Gin Seaside.