The 79th Edinburgh International Festival unveils a program themed All Rise to mark 250 years of American independence, foregrounding American artists across music, dance, theatre and opera.

Two world-class orchestras reside at Usher Hall: the Berliner Philharmoniker led by Kirill Petrenko with Augustin Hadelich, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel in his final year, alongside the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Featured highlights include the world premiere of The Galloping Cure by Royce Vavrek and Missy Mazzoli, a Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra performance, and Groupwork’s dance piece When Prophecy Fails.

Locally focused Scottish programming stands out, with Dunedin Consort performing Tansy Davies’ Passion of Mary Magdalene using period-informed insights, and Brìghde Chaimbeul collaborating with the Scottish Ensemble on a Celtic mythology-inspired film/music show.

There is critique of the festival’s opera slate as relatively slim, limited Scottish composing presence, a tilt toward one-act theatre, and underutilized Usher Hall nights limiting opportunities for Scottish artists.

Tickets are accessible, with over 50,000 available at £30 or less and £10 Give it a Go tickets, plus thousands of free tickets for young musicians and discounted access for NHS workers and low-income beneficiaries.

The festival emphasizes accessibility and inclusion through extensive discounted and free-ticket programs, dementia-friendly concerts, and numerous captioned performances, with general booking opening in late March 2026.

The Hub at The Royal Mile offers intimate performances and improvisational line-ups, with ongoing Aga Khan Music Programme collaborations highlighting cross-cultural music and East Africa, the Middle East, and Central/South Asia.

The Hub also hosts First Night, Rising Stars, and diverse concerts featuring artists such as corto.alto, Orchestra Baobab, Camilla George, Derya Türkân, Yasamin Shahhosseini, Routes to Roots, and ROIS, underscoring collaborative, cross-cultural programming.

Family-focused programming includes the Scottish premiere of Hostile by Bakélite and a Youth Orchestra Los Angeles concert in partnership with Big Noise and Sistema Scotland.

Other works include Taverna Miresia, Haribo Kimchi, and Hostile in family programming, plus the world premiere opera The Galloping Cure, staged by Tom Morris and conducted by Stuart Stratford for Scottish Opera.

Full programme details are available at the festival’s official site, EIF.co.uk.