Asian influence: The Peony Pavilion from the National Ballet of China
This year’s Edinburgh International Festival will celebrate the vibrant and diverse cultures of Asia, highlighting the immense influences the continent has had on the cultural landscape of the west.
Over the space of three weeks in Edinburgh, artists from all across Asia including Japan, Korea, Indonesia, China and India - as well as performers North America, Germany, the UK and Russia - will gather to present a blend of music, dance, theatre, opera and visual arts.
Those appearing at this year’s international festival, which runs from August 12 to September 4, include the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe which is tackling Shakespeare’s Hamlet, recreating the tragic tale in the acrobatic, costumed style of Jingju opera.
The National Ballet of China will bring together the east and the west with their production of The Peony Pavilion, which presents western classical ballet performed to the sounds of a classic symphony orchestra, using traditional Chinese instruments.
The Scottish Ballet and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra will also be appearing, presenting Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet Song of the Earth, which is set to Mahler’s song cycle inspired by Chinese poetry from the T’ang Dynasty,
Debussy, Mahler, Messiaen and Schumann were all intrigued and inspired by the colours and sounds of Asia, so to honour this there will be many orchestras taking part in EIF this year, including Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, and the Tonhalle Orchestra.
A multi-layered exhibition showcasing the rich heritage of Indian and Javanese textile traditions and their influence on contemporary craft practice will also be on show, and East and west will meet in Stephen Earnhart and Greg Pierce’s production of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, based on the novel by Haruki Murakami, which blends performance, music, puppetry, dance and film.
Other highlights will include The Virgin Money Fireworks Concert – which will see over 100,000 firing sequences launched from Edinburgh Castle, choreographed to music from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra on September 4.
Jonathan Mills, the Edinburgh International Festival director, said: ‘European artists, explorers and philosophers have drawn inspiration from the Far East for centuries. This Festival draws inspiration from across the diverse cultures of Asia, from Vietnam to China.
We very much hope people will come on this exotic and sensual journey and immerse themselves in the beauty and traditions of Asian cultures both ancient and modern.”
Public booking for the festival opens on Saturday 2 April online in person and on the phone. Call 0131 473 2000 or visit www.eif.co.uk.
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