On 5th August 2019 Sir John Eliot Gardiner finally realised a 60+ year old dream as he conducted a concert performance of West Side Story at the Edinburgh International Festival. It was definitely worth the wait...

Sensational. Unforgettable. Electric. This was the first of two concert performances of West Side Story at Usher Hall, featuring the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner.

By all accounts it was an incredible night and Usher Hall was packed to the rafters.

The critics were wowed

There were superlatives a-plenty

'Brilliant young cast delivered punch, passion and pathos in the story that speaks so powerfully to our divided times.' @DonaldMacleod01

'I suspect that the last time West Side Story was done that well was when Lenny himself conducted it for his Deutsche Grammophone recording in the 80's.' @luvselgar

'A night to remember always.' @FionaHyslop

'Sublime performance of West Side Story @edintfest spine tinglingly brilliant performances including the nycosians amongst the Sharks & Jets. Genuinely not enough superlatives.' @clairg

A few tears were shed

Tonight @edintfest @SCOmusic #WestSideStory lifted my heart, filled it with adrenalin infused and loved up Bernstein magic - then snapped it in two 💔 It's not like I don't know the ending but it gets me every time, tears were involved! Thank you all for a wonderful evening! @NTS_Stella