News Story
This year's International Festival is not just a series of performances, but an immersive journey which celebrates our deep connection between the art and you, the audience.
Where to Begin...
“This year, we've invited everyone to participate in our 2024 theme, Rituals That Unite Us. Opening Event: Where to Begin in partnership with The Macallan, marks the first of a new ritual, both for our Festival and the city. We know audiences will be blown away by this spectacle, and we're proud to show the formidable creative power and potential of Edinburgh and its people to the world. It's an event that beckons us to find new ways to experience and appreciate our city.”
Nicola Benedetti, Festival Director
"I really wanted to find somewhere that was unmistakably Edinburgh, that had a real quality to it. I mean, Edinburgh is blessed with beautiful architecture, amazing vistas, and we wanted to be able to be somewhere where the audience felt very much in that space."
Katy Fuller, Creative Director of the Opening Event
Rituals that Unite Us
The history of Edinburgh International Festival is entwined with the audience. The Festival’s origin story tells the tale of residents donating their own coal rations to light up the castle in 1947 at the inaugural International Festival.
In 1947, rations were still in place following the end of WW2 and so the Minister for Fuel and Power banned floodlighting the castle. However, the people of Edinburgh felt differently. Welcoming visitors to the city for the first time post war, they wanted visitors to appreciate the magnificent Edinburgh castle, floodlit at night.
So the story goes, hundreds of letters and telegrams poured in with generous offers to donate coal rations. From lighting up the castle at the first Festival back in 1947, you can continue the tradition of igniting the Festival spirit through partaking in a communal ritual.
There is no festival without an audience. There's no virtuosic playing without somebody to witness it and appreciate it... And so it's about the alchemy between the audience and the artists.Katy Fuller
Your Opening Event experience
"The experience for the audience is sort of in two halves. The first part of it is more of an exploration... and then after that [a] journey through the grounds, the audience will then come together... [to] enjoy a communal moment." - Katy Fuller
In Partnership with The Macalllan
"I'm elated to see The Macallan's creative partnership with the Edinburgh International Festival come to life in August. Both the International Festival and The Macallan hold a deep commitment to excellence and artistic innovation, rooted in our shared, rich Scottish heritage. As The Macallan's celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, we are proud to partner with the International Festival to create an unmissable start to the festival season. Where to Begin will captivate audiences with stories of Scotland's past, present and future, and will offer the inspiration that only a live event like this can offer." - Jaume Ferràs, Global Creative Director, The Macallan
Dive deeper
This year, we have produced 40 short audio introductions, called The Warm Up. The Warm Up will help you dive deeper into a range of performances, and get more from your International Festival experience. These mini podcast episodes are hosted by International Festival Director Nicola Benedetti and BBC presenter Kate Molleson.
Listen to the Opening Event: Where to Begin episode now.
Let’s ignite the 2024 Festival spirit of Edinburgh. Get your tickets for Opening Event: Where to begin. 2–4 August.
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