Edinburgh International Festival returns to 'full strength' with an inspiring message for the world

Last year, Edinburgh International Festival was a scaled-down event because of funding worries. However, after a multi-year deal was agreed, this year’s will be back to “full strength”, according to director Nicola Benedetti.

Furthermore, it has been announced that American jazz legend Wynton Marsalis and his internationally acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will take up a residency during the festival, themed on the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.

Marsalis is the only person to win a Grammy for both classical music and jazz in the same year and has been awarded France’s Legion of Honour among numerous other accolades – and he’s also Benedetti’s husband.

As the full programme was announced, she said the festival was designed to be a “rallying cry to artists and audiences to stand with us, in our belief that through artistic endeavour we will see each other more truthfully and more tolerantly”. In troubled times, the EIF is a welcome reminder that there is still much beauty in the world.