- A Personal View
Here is a personal overview of the Edinburgh International Festival 2004, by Vivien Devlin, including reviews of some of the performances. Vivien is the author of "Kings, Queens and People's Palaces - a history of Scottish Variety Theatre, 1920-1970" (published by Polygon) and an avid theatre-goer.
Background
The Edinburgh International Festival - often called the Official festival to prevent confusion with the Fringe Festival - began in 1947. The founders believed that the Festival programmes should be of the highest possible artistic standard presented by the best artists in the world, that the Festival should enliven and enrich the cultural life of Europe, Britain and Scotland and that it should provide a period of flowering of the human spirit. For 57 years now the EIF has brought to Scotland a very special, hand-picked, elite selection of superb opera, music, theatre and dance from around the world.
While there may be conventional orchestral concerts at the Queens and Usher halls, it seems each year - especially under the current artistic directorship of Brian McMaster - opera and drama productions are more contemporary and cutting-edge. The Edinburgh Festival is the platform for experiment and innovation, to seek out visually and intellectually stimulating performances. All productions are personally invited to Edinburgh, (perhaps the only performance in the UK); others are world premieres or commissioned works which are specifically created for the Festival. Opera highlights have been Hanover State Opera with Il Trovatore and Opera North with Orfeo et Euridice. In theatre, the 11-hour epic French production of Le Soulier de Satin enchanted those that kept the pace. And a rich series of classical and choral concerts, featured among many others Cleveland Orchestra, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Zehetmair Quartet, Richard Goode, Alfred Brendel, Sir Charles McKerras, Pierre Boulez and James McMillan.
Here are Vivien's reviews of a cross section of the many shows presented during the Edinburgh International Festival in 2004:
- Joe - a dance programme created by Jean-Pierre Perreault of Quebec, Canada.
- Celestina - a classic masterpiece of the Spanish theatre.
- The Composer, The Singer, The Cook and the Sinner - a joyous celebration of Rossini's life and music.
- The Wonderful World of Dissocia - delves into the unknown and indefinable world of mental illness.
- Mahler and Dance - the world renowned Rambert Dance Company.
- Fashionably Late - the Royal Bank Latest - innovative and exciting drama, dance and music performances.
- The Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert - Grieg's Incidental Music for Peer Gynt accompanied by fireworks.
- Spreading the Word Across the World - Experience the magic of Edinburgh next year.
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
