Join us in reliving some of the breathtaking performances this August, with these snapshots captured throughout the month.

Classical music & opera

Taking place in two of our custom-built outdoor venues, audiences and artists experienced the joy of classical music accompanied by birdsong and the occasional light pattering of rain. Performances included the new opera Dido's Ghost and residencies from Nicola Benedetti, Chineke! Orchestra and Thomas Quasthoff.

Edinburgh Park series

This year's contemporary music venue hosted a huge variety of genres, from London's new jazz scene to Northumbrian folk, DJ sets by Floating Points and Caribou and new work from the Edinburgh-based Shona the Musical Choir.

Theatre

From Ahlam's prize-winning snapshot of post-uprising Cairo in You Bury Meto Hannah Lavery's searing Lament for Sheku Bayoh and Enda Walsh's strikingly surrealist Medicine, we were proud to present a theatre programme that addressed challenging topics and allowed audiences to discover fresh perspectives.

Dance

Our slimmed-down dance programme this year included stunning dance films from some of the best choreographers around the world, introduced in person at Dance Base. For the second year running, we also presented the free performance Field: Something for the Future Nowagainst the beautiful backdrop of Holyrood Park.

Spoken word

In our A Toast to the People series, groundbreaking spoken word artists captivated audiences with poetry that ranged from joyful to poignant. Vanessa Kisuule rhapsodised about octopuses and nightclubs, while Lemn Sissay even got the audience singing!

Traditional music

This year marked our first series of Scottish traditional music, as we delighted in the fiery Talisk trio's fast-paced tunes, Siobhan Miller's exquisite vocals and Aidan O'Rourke's A Great Disordered Heart series, which highlighted the connections between Scottish and Irish traditions. Traditional music from around the world came to Edinburgh through Sona Jobarteh's virtuosic kora playing and Ballaké Sissoko & Vincént Ségal's unique fusion of musical traditions.

Learning & Engagement

This year, our Festival Favours project has delivered the gift of musicians and perfomers to community groups around Edinburgh. Favours have so far included a toddlers' rock concert, circus skills workshops in Lochend and a musical mural unveiling at the Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre. The project will continue into the autumn.

The team have also partnered with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra on a family concert at Craigmillar Castle and connected dancers with the artists from Dancing in the Streets for a day of professional development.