The Edinburgh International Festival takes place every year over the last three weeks of August. It was founded in 1947 on the initiative of Rudolf Bing, then General Manager of Glyndebourne, who wanted the arts to help heal the wounds of the Second World War. The programme covers orchestral and chamber music, opera, dance and theatre with international artists. Key venues include the Usher Hall, built in 1914 and seating around 2,200, the 1,915-seat Festival Theatre for opera and ballet, the Queen's Hall and The Hub below the castle, the festival's headquarters since 1999. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe began alongside it in the very first year and is now the world's largest arts festival. The violinist Nicola Benedetti has been festival director since October 2022.
The Edinburgh International Festival, founded in 1947, is one of the oldest and most renowned cultural festivals in the world — each August Edinburgh becomes the centre of classical music, theatre, and dance.
At a glance
- Type
- Multi-genre theatre
- Location
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom
More venues in Edinburgh
- Edinburgh Playhouse · Musical theatre, Edinburgh
More venues in United Kingdom
- Apollo Victoria Theatre · Musical theatre, London
- English National Opera · Opera house, London
- Glyndebourne · Opera house, Lewes
- Grange Park Opera · Opera house, Surrey
- His Majesty's Theatre · Musical theatre, London
- London Palladium · Musical theatre, London
- Lyceum Theatre London · Musical theatre, London
- National Theatre · Theatre, London
- Noël Coward Theatre · Musical theatre, London