Various locations across Edinburgh
Created in 1947 to celebrate the human spirit, Edinburgh International Festival is the world’s leading performing arts festival, featuring the finest performers from the worlds of dance, opera, music and theatre. For three weeks each August the city becomes an unparalleled celebration of the performing arts and an annual meeting point for people of all nations.
After the 2024 Festival’s theme of Rituals That Unite Us, the 2025 Festival explores the theme The Truth We Seek. The programme of live entertainment celebrates a journey into the elusive nature of truth, in our personal and public lives.
Running over 24 days and featuring 161 performances from over 2000 artists across 42 nations, audiences can enjoy unique collaborations, world premieres, critically acclaimed productions and more.
Highlights from this year’s programme include Make It Happen, a new satirical play written by one of Britain’s most in-demand playwrights, James Graham, and Book of Mountains and Seas directed and designed by Olivier award-winning Basil Twist.
This promises to be a thrilling year for opera lovers too as four operas feature in 2025’s programme, a highlight of which will be Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, written in the year of the composer’s death, telling a tale of political intrigue and personal jealousy alight.
Don’t miss their dance programme featuring top Scottish talent and international leaders in performances such as Mary, Queen of Scots, Dance People, and The Dan Daw Show. If dance shows aren’t your thing, attend one of the popular keynote talks or one of the many contemporary music shows.
This year, the Edinburgh Festival Chorus celebrates 60 years of incredible dedication and stirring performances at the very heart of the International Festival. Marking the start of the Festival, you can hear the choir perform at the Opening Concert: Veil of the Temple on02 August, a beanbag concert where audiences can immerse themselves in the music of 250 singers over eight hours.
The Edinburgh International Festival runs from 01 to 24 August 2025. Performances take place in a variety of venues across the city, including the Queen’s Hall, Festival Theatre, St Giles’ Cathedral and The Usher Hall.
For more information and to view the full programme, see The Edinburgh International Festival.
