World class music, theatre, opera and dance

A hand-picked selection of leading international and local artists comes to the world’s Festival City 1–24 August. 

At this year’s Edinburgh International Festival, you can experience world-class artists in thought-provoking and unconventional ways. From an eight-hour choral extravaganza to an outdoor promenade dance piece, from a circus infused opera to a performance where hip hop meets Bach.  

Discover 2025 Festival highlights.

Classical Music

In the classical music programme, the world’s finest orchestras and musicians gather in Edinburgh for spectacular concerts at Usher Hall and intimate morning recitals at The Queen’s Hall. View the classical music programme.

Theatre

In the theatre programme, the power of truth-telling comes alive in a striking lineup of works that explore the climate emergency, colonialism and politics. View the theatre programme.

Opera

The 2025 opera programme reflects a consideration on how opera can be presented in imaginative ways, with top quality casting and musicianship. With two staged operas and two operas in concert. View the opera programme.

Dance

In the dance programme you can catch top Scottish talent and international leaders in the artform onstage in Edinburgh. View the dance programme.

Contemporary Music

This year’s contemporary music programme crosses electronic, indie, jazz, blues, garage, traditional, and contemporary-classical.

The Hub brings together a hand-picked variety of global musical styles and traditions, experienced up close in an intimate performance space. Performers from the Aga Khan Music Programme return to the Festival for a series of mesmerising concerts, whilst our Up Late series keep the celebrations going late into the night. View the contemporary music programme.

Edinburgh Festival Chorus turns 60  

This year, the Edinburgh Festival Chorus celebrates 60 years of incredible dedication and stirring performances at the very heart of the International Festival.  

Since its inception, this choir has been performing with the world’s leading orchestras and conductors. Brought together by a shared love of singing, the Chorus is made up of over 150 volunteer members from around Scotland.

In this landmark year for choral music,the renowned chorus perform at the monumental Opening Concert: Veil of the Temple, Vaughan Williams’s Sea Symphony, the grand Closing Concert: Mendelssohn’s Elijah and more.

Orchestral residencies

This year, three outstanding orchestras provide distinctive insights into their collective sound and ambitions: Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra 2 (NYO2), Poland’s NFM Leopoldinum, and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Residencies bring leading orchestras to the International Festival for an extended, more sustainable stay that features multiple performances and community engagement.

Access at the International Festival

This year at the Festival a Dementia-Friendly concert will be presented for people living with dementia, their caregivers, family and friends. This concert builds on our work with the Beacon Club at our Community Connections Hub.  

Find out more about access at Edinburgh International Festival.

Get Involved

At the 2025 Festival, you can get involved in the art. There’s an free outdoor mass-choir in The Big Singalong, interactive concerts where you can chooses the repertoire and an Art of Listening workshop for families where you can dive into the stories hidden within classical music.

Can you read music? Members of the public are invited to join the Edinburgh Festival Chorus in Come and Sing Elijah, an immersive workshop led by Chorus Director James Grossmith.

See you soon

General booking for the 2025 International Festival opens on Thursday 27 March, with tickets currently on-sale to Members and supporters. Become a member to access priority booking.

Let us know what you’re most excited about @edintfest.