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Edinburgh Gets Jump on 2003 International Fest

Well they can't be accused of dawdling. Organisers have this week released preliminary details and opened booking for the 2003 Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), which will run next summer, from 10 to 30 August.

The highlight of the advance programme to date is the confirmation of Scottish Opera's first stagings of two complete cycles of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen. The cycles have been eagerly awaited since the start of the Ring in 2000 with Das Rheingold, followed by Die Walkure in 2001 and Siefried in 2001.

The popularity of the cycle, which reaches its climax at the 2003 event with the presentation of all four operas in succession, is one of the reasons for the early opening of booking for the next festival. Organisers report that demand is already high for the opera tickets, with enquiries coming from all over the world. They recommend booking tickets, travel and accommodation far in advance.

The granddaddy of them all, the Edinburgh International Festival is just one of some seven festivals that overtake the Scottish city in August. The others are the Edinburgh Film Festival, Book Festival, Jazz & Blues Festival, Visual Arts Festival, the Military Tattoo and, of course, its main spin-off, the Edinburgh Fringe which, on its own qualifies as the world's largest arts festival with more than 1,400 shows annually on offer.

The full EIF programme will be announced on 27 March 2003, with the programme for next year's Edinburgh Fringe, which will run from 3 to 25 August, expected in early June. For further information on For further information on EIF programme and booking, visit the festival website.

- Terri Paddock

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