Edinburgh International Festival unveils initial shows – including circus and opera hybrid Orpheus and Eurydice

The Edinburgh International Festival has announced its first performances for the 2025 season, running from 1 to 24 August, under the theme “The Truth We Seek.”

Among the first shows revealed is the world premiere of Mary, Queen of Scots, a new narrative ballet by Scottish Ballet’s resident choreographer Sophie Laplane. The ballet tells the story of the infamous Scottish queen through the imagined perspective of her cousin and rival, Queen Elizabeth I. Set and costume designer Soutra Gilmour, known for her work on Merrily We Roll Along and & Juliet, will bring a period-inspired aesthetic to the production. Music for the ballet will be composed by Mikael Karlsson and Michael P Atkinson, the creative team behind the score for Scottish Ballet’s 2022 Coppélia.

The festival’s opera lineup includes a European premiere of Orpheus and Eurydice, produced by Opera Queensland and directed by Circa’s Yaron Lifschitz. The production reinterprets Gluck’s 18th-century opera with acrobatics from Circa, alongside performances by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a chorus from Scottish Opera.

Grammy-winning countertenor Iestyn Davies will perform as Orpheus, with Australian soprano Samantha Clarke taking the roles of Eurydice and Amore. Laurence Cummings conducts, bringing together orchestration, acrobatic visuals, and video projections.

Another highlight is Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra 2 (NYO2), making its European debut as part of a new three-year partnership with the festival. The orchestra, featuring musicians aged 14 to 17 from across the United States, will join Scottish musicians for a special family concert.

Further details will be revealed in due course.