An amazing array of talent coming to Scotland

Sir Simon Rattle leads the line-up of stars heading to Scotland this August for the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), launched in the capital this week.

The new music director of the London Symphony Orchestra is back following his acclaimed appearance last year, with Leonard Bernstein’s second symphony, the first of the festival’s celebrations of the composer’s centenary.

Scotland’s Nicola Benedetti will perform Bernstein’s Serenade with Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, making its festival debut.

Other orchestral highlights include the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

The Hallé, with Sir Mark Elder, will perform Wagner’s Siegfried in the Usher Hall, continuing the festival’s Ring Cycle concerts, with soprano Christine Goerke and Simon O’Neill returning to sing Brünnhilde and Siegfried, after appearing in last year’s Die Walküre.

New productions of the Rossini operas – the Barber of Seville and La Cenerentola – are brought to Edinburgh from two French companies, Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and Opera de Lyon respectively.

In a programme with a strong focus on young artists, Edinburgh will host the semi-finals and final of the Eurovision Young Musicians 2018, featuring soloists from 18 countries.

Scotland’s own Nicola Benedetti will perform at the Edinburgh International Festival 2018

Youth orchestras including the YOA Orchestra of the Americas and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada will be centre stage too, along with Scotland’s national youth choir, in the opening concert, Haydn’s Creation.

Before that, this year’s festival begins with an outdoor performance, in Festival Square, of Five Telegrams, a light show marking both Scotland’s Year of Young People and the centenary of the end of the Great War. More than 250 Edinburgh based youngsters will contribute to the event, in collaboration with Scottish composer Anna Meredith.

Scotland’s cultural life will be well represented in the summer, with performances by the Dunedin Consort, Hebrides Ensemble, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra – as well as the Theatre of Scotland.

And internationally celebrated Scottish pianist Steve Osborne will partner with Canadian virtuoso James Ehnes in the Queen’s Hall concert series, which also sees Nicola Benedetti playing Vivaldi with the Academy of Ancient Music and Richard Egarr.

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, by the award winning Irish theatre group Druid, will be one of the theatrical attractions at the 2018 EIF, which runs from August 3-27, and features a total of 2,750 artists from 31 nations.

Fergus Linehan, festival director said: ‘One of the joys of working in the festival is the opportunity to welcome the world to our country and to our city – and then to have a great party!

‘In 2018 there is a particular emphasis on working collaboratively both with Scottish based artists and ensembles and with our international partners to make work from all over the world.

‘We are celebrating different cultures, showcasing Scottish culture, and telling many stories through many different languages.’