Tag: culture

Nicola Benedetti delivers successful first Edinburgh International Festival

The 2023 Edinburgh International Festival has ended on a high, after 24 packed days of events from 2,500 remarkable and diverse artists representing 50 nations.

The programme was characterised by a high quality of art, presenting work from 130 Grammy nominated artists, 33 Grammy Award-winners, 14 Brit Award-winners, 6 Olivier Award-winners and 3 Venice Golden Lions awards. Artists also attracted significant worldwide media attention and positive reviews, with two-thirds of International Festival performances receiving four and five-star reviews.

With an unprecedented emphasis on a deepened audience experience, the 2023 International Festival reimagined how we interact with and appreciate live performance, through audio introductions, contextual demonstrations and discussions before and during performances, and bringing audiences and artists closer together through more informal, intimate performance environments. 

Nicola Benedetti, Festival Director at Edinburgh International Festival said: ““I dreamt of a festival that felt truly open and welcoming, creating a shared ownership and pride over the future of our Festival and its profound contribution to Scotland’s culture and conversation. The response from artists and audiences has been resoundingly uplifting, filled with a tangible energy pulling us closer together.

“We asked, ‘where do we go from here?’ – and we heard from thousands of people, sharing different perspectives from around the world. Now, we are confident in forging our path and deepening next year’s conversation together.” 

In the 2023 International Festival 120,000 audience members found an in-depth and high-quality live experience across Edinburgh’s theatres, concert halls and venues. It was once again an unmissable destination for Edinburgh visitors looking to experience the highest quality arts and culture, with 13% of bookers being international, an increase of 3% on last year.

The International Festival also saw steady attendance from local audiences, with 69% of bookers coming from Scotland. 

As part of the vision to broaden audiences, over 21,000 tickets were discounted to people eligible for concessions, including D/deaf and disabled people, arts workers, students and audiences aged under 26.

Over 11,000 free tickets were issued, including over 500 tickets for NHS workers and 631 tickets through the Young Music Pass scheme, which gives free tickets to young people to experience the best classical music from around the world.

The £10 on the Day ticket, available to people eligible for concessions, saw a pick-up of over 4,000 tickets, a 46% increase on last year. 

The International Festival continued its year-round community engagement work during August, welcoming people of all ages and backgrounds to experience world-leading artists in locations across the city.

Culture Clubs returned to communities across Edinburgh, with intergenerational groups invited to enjoy a shared meal and attend a performance, including the first ever BSL Culture Club hosted by Deaf Action.

Pop-up performances brought music to audiences who otherwise might not have been able to attend, featuring the likes of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, award-winning bassist and composer Endea Owens, and the London Symphony Orchestra, who performed for around 1,000 patients, hospital staff and visitors in NHS settings. 

Thousands of people attended the Opening Fanfare weekend, an incredible feat of mass music-making, which assembled a diverse community of 500 amateur and professional musicians travelling from across Scotland to participate across two days in Princes Street Gardens.

The International Festival also reached more people than ever through digital channels, with content viewed 4.8 million times over the course of the 2023 Festival, an increase of 63% from 2022. In addition, 19 concerts were recorded live for broadcast on BBC Radio 3.  

The Hub – the International Festival’s home at the top of the Royal Mile – was reimagined as a ‘festival green room, open to all’. The Hub welcomed thousands of visitors and invited them to collectively respond to the central question: ‘where do we go from here?’

An expansive programme of free talks and debates, participatory events and intimate concerts from incredible musicians spanning Scottish traditional music, jazz and classical ensembles brought artists and audiences closer than ever before. 

An audience of 600 sat in beanbags surrounded by the Budapest Festival Orchestra – a format inviting audiences to experience both the music and the orchestra from the inside out, with conductor Ivan Fischer offering conversational explanations of Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony. 

30 audio introductions were recorded by Nicola Benedetti with broadcaster Tom Service and artists from across the programme who gave insight and more context into specific performances and experiences. These reached 25,000 people, who listened as they were delivered by text message two hours before a performance. Over 32,000 people read blog articles which added further context. 

To help audiences gain a greater appreciation of visiting companies and reduce the amount of travel required for international artists, high-profile artistic residencies included the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of departing conductor Sir Simon Rattle, the Budapest Festival Orchestra with Ivan Fischer, and the world-renowned Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela reunited with their Music Director Gustavo Dudamel. 

This year also saw a focus on opportunities for talent development and professional exchange. Twenty-two emerging dancers aged 18-25 from across Scotland had the chance of a lifetime to train with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and perform in Memoria at the Festival Theatre.

Five pre-professional musicians were also invited to join the Mendelssohn Octet at the Hub, in an audition judged by Festival Director Nicola Benedetti. Plus, twelve Scotland-based dancers participated in a week-long collaboration with international peers performing in Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring that brought together 34 dancers from 14 African countries. 

Francesca Hegyi, Chief Executive at Edinburgh International Festival, said: “August in Edinburgh is the time when the world’s spotlight turns to the Festival City, where residents can mix with their international counterparts and see artists they wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to.

“There has been a new warmth and spirit of inquiry to the Edinburgh International Festival this year and the feedback from audiences, artists and visitors has been nothing short of exceptional.” 

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson, said: “This was a bumper year for Edinburgh’s summer festivals, distinguished by a strong contribution from home grown talent, and increased access to events through an expanded programme of community activities.

“Edinburgh’s festivals underline how important culture is to our way of life as well as underlining Scotland’s reputation on the international stage. I’d like to thank everyone involved for putting on such a fantastic line-up of performances and events this year.” 

Edinburgh Art Festival in North Edinburgh

At Collective, on Calton Hill, and coinciding with their EAF performance, Tarek Lakhrissi presents I wear my wounds on my tongue (II), exploring desire, language and queerness.

Inspired by the work of the late poet, essayist and performance artist Justin Chin, the installation features newly commissioned sculptures and sound work. Also at Collective, Rabindranath X Bhose’s installation work, DANCE IN THE SACRED DOMAIN, is a bog made up of sculpture, poetry, performance and drawing, emerging from time spent meditating on bogland in Scotland.

Further into Leith, at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, a new presentation, tense, by Glasgow based Adam Lewis Jacob will be displayed alongside A New Face in Hell, in which Sebastian Thomas draws inspiration from the mythological fable of the Golem, a being constructed of inanimate material that often ends up becoming uncontrollable.

Travelling Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in a bus, presents a new exhibition by Gabecare, a collaborative art project between Rachel Adams and Tessa Lynch investigating the domestic mess of 21st century living, which will travel across the city for the duration of the festival.

Sierra Metro presents an exhibition of new work by award winning Australia-based artist, illustrator and animator, Haein Kim. For Kim’s first solo show PAIN2POWER the artist presents a series of prints exploring the modern woman’s psyche, materialism and puppies for a show that captures her unique use of colour, humour and honesty.

Initiated by The Common Guild, Edinburgh Art Festival will co-present an illuminated artwork by Rabiya Choudhry at Leith Library.

The design is based on a painting by Choudhry, part of the artist’s ongoing project Lost Lighting – a series of lighting artworks for public places intended to ‘act like a vigil in the dark’ Taking shape as illuminated signs, they repurpose Andrew Carnegie’s flaming torch motif; a feature found on many Carnegie library buildings

In Choudhry’s work, the torch is encircled with the words of African-American civil rights activist Ella Baker (1903–1986) who worked to instigate societal change. Baker’s words ‘give light and people will find the way’, are a manifestation of power for ordinary people. The public artwork runs across the full festival dates, visible 24 hours a day.

Initiated by The Common Guild, EAF will co-present an illuminated artwork by Rabiya Choudhry at Leith Library. The design is based on a painting by Choudhry, part of the artist’s ongoing project Lost Lighting – a series of lighting artworks for public places intended to ‘act like a vigil in the dark’ Taking shape as illuminated signs, they repurpose Andrew Carnegie’s flaming torch motif; a feature found on many Carnegie library buildings In Choudhry’s work, the torch is encircled with the words of African-American civil rights activist Ella Baker (1903–1986) who worked to instigate societal change. Baker’s words ‘give light and people will find the way’, are a manifestation of power for ordinary people.

The public artwork runs across the full festival dates, visible 24 hours a day. 

BELOW: Edinburgh Art Festival – Full Programme

Openingrelease_10Aug2023final-2Download

World’s Two Biggest Arts Festivals unite in Cultural and Knowledge Exchange agreement

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the charity that supports the world’s largest performing arts festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the biggest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere, Adelaide Fringe are coming together to form an arrangement that will see both organisations amplify one another’s efforts for the benefit of artists and the international arts community.

Each organisation’s respective CEO will sign a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) that outlines the details of the arrangement on August 11 during this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  

The MOU came to fruition from a collective belief between the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and Adelaide Fringe that organisations who share common objectives have the potential to positively influence the personal development of the Fringe festival artists and workers and thereby increase outcomes for each organisation.  

The MOU will be signed by the South Australian Minister for Arts, Andrea Micheals MP and Scotland’s Culture Secretary Angus Robertson.

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is an inspiration to many festivals around the world and this formal agreement between the Edinburgh Fringe Society and the Adelaide Fringe is a fantastic initiative that will bring many benefits to both organisations.  

“In particular the opportunity to share knowledge and skills, grow new audiences and provide platforms for performers will help the business development of both festivals.”

South Australian MInister for Arts, Andrea Micheals said: “This MOU brings together the wealth of talent, experience and creative ideas that exists in both Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe Festivals. 

“It represents the two largest festivals in the world joining forces to harness that extraordinary skill and create exciting opportunities for artists and arts workers to work at these two internationally renowned festivals and beyond.  

“Adelaide is one of the world’s greatest festival cities and this partnership with the Edinburgh Festival cements our international reputation as the arts capital of Australia.”

The arrangement outlines details between the two festivals in the context of business, exchange and joint initiatives that will see Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe festivals work to encourage the development of artists and their career trajectory and festival workers to the benefit of festivals internationally.  

Each organisation will recognise their positions as major tourist attractions in their respective regions for both local, national and international travellers; and the benefits of working collaboratively in the development of skills for festival workers, along with the importance of business opportunities that are created at festivals via industry programs for artists to secure future bookings for their work.

Each partner is committed to the development of their staff, which will in part see the implementation of an exchange program between the two major festivals. 

The MOU outlines a commitment from each party to promote one another’s Fringe festivals to artists while growing the audience-facing and industry-facing opportunities for artists participating in the festivals.

Director and CEO of Adelaide Fringe, Heather Croall said: ‘The establishment of this MOU is a momentous occurrence in the festival world.

“Fringe festivals are incubators for live performance and a testing ground for fresh ideas and new works, I’m sure the outcomes of this arrangement will ripple positively for artists and industry across the globe.”

Chief Executive of Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Shona McCarthy said, “Today is an exciting moment as we formalise a collective ambition to support each other across a range of areas. 

“Our relationship with the Adelaide Fringe has developed over the last decade into a supportive and collaborative partnership, where we learn from each other and share our mutual challenges and opportunities. 

“The signing of the MOU is just the beginning of what we know will be an extremely rewarding partnership for everyone involved in the festivals.”

Marketplace initiative set to elevate relationship between Scottish business and culture

 Culture and business will be able to connect in new and exciting ways thanks to the launch of a new Marketplace initiative, pioneered by Culture and Business Scotland (C&BS). 

The Culture & Business Marketplace Scotland is the first-of-its-kind online platform that will match up businesses looking to expand their creative horizons with culture organisations seeking support in delivering their creative ideas. 

A range of Scottish creative organisations have already committed to participating in the Marketplace pilot, including household names such as the Scottish Book Trust, Scottish Ensemble, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Screen Education Edinburgh.  

Launching today (Wednesday May 17) the platform will work similarly to a database, where these pilot not-for-profit culture organisations will be able to list their products or services as ‘sellers’.

Businesses, or potential ‘buyers’, will then browse the available opportunities using filters such as ‘supporting innovation, creative thinking and problem solving in the workplace’ and ‘improving staff health and wellbeing’ to find culture organisations that would be well-suited to fit a gap, combat an existing challenge or fulfil a specific target.  

David Watt, CEO of Culture & Business Scotland, said: “Past experiences have shown us that giving businesses and culture organisations the opportunity to forge meaningful connections is hugely empowering, not only for those organisations involved but for wider society as well, and the impacts have the potential to reverberate for generations to come.

“The launch of our Marketplace initiative will increase those opportunities, both in number and in scope, and help to ensure that organisations from both sectors are equipped for a more innovative, forward-thinking future.” 

Being given the opportunity to connect and receive backing from businesses can be transformational for creative organisations. In 2021 the Edinburgh-based Living Memory Association partnered with Leith’s Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre through Culture & Business Scotland’s already established match-funding scheme, the C&BS Fund, a precursor to the Marketplace initiative.  

The funding enabled Living Memory Association to make use of two vacant units as exhibition spaces. The initial offering of two units grew to include the use of a whole empty 6000 square metre store across two floors, which the Living Memory Association used to facilitate reminiscence as a means of engaging people with heritage, recording their memories and combatting loneliness and social isolation in the process.  

The community-focused nature of Ocean Terminal’s location enabled the organisation to reach a wider audience than would have otherwise been possible, raising the Living Memory Association’s profile and creating a positive snowball effect, as it was then able to attract further funding and opportunities.

Ocean Terminal, meanwhile, benefitted from the increased footfall into what would have otherwise been an abandoned space, with the resulting added social value surpassing expectations and generating positive impacts in ways that the retail centre had previously not experienced. 

Mark Haywood, Living Memory Association Director, said: “This has been a phenomenal partnership for The Living Memory Association and investment from Culture & Business Scotland made it possible.

“It has raised the profile of The Living Memory Association, led us into new areas of work and allowed us to support a whole range of fascinating artistic and heritage endeavour. It has meant we can support individuals and groups to showcase and develop their work and bring them into direct contact with the public.

“We have used the new units to engage people and work with older people to record their memories and value their life experience. All activities are free, taking art and heritage straight into the heart of the community. We are extremely grateful to Culture & Business Scotland and Ocean Terminal for their support to our work”.  

Michelle MacLeod, Ocean Terminal Manager, added: “We could not have believed that this partnership would be so socially and economically beneficial to The Centre and we hope to be able to further develop this collaboration going into the future and incorporating this work into the new developments currently underway at Ocean Terminal.” 

Funding facilitated by Culture & Business Scotland has also enabled creative organisations to make scientific ideas accessible through the arts, as Edinburgh Science Foundation discovered after being partnered with Cirrus Logic through the C&BS Fund.  

As a leading global semiconductor supplier, Cirrus Logic’s commitment to promoting science, technology, engineering, and maths amongst young people underpins the company’s support of the Edinburgh Science Festival. Last year, sponsorship from Cirrus Logic enabled the creation of several new activities at the festival, helping to encourage awareness about Scottish flora and fauna through a photography exhibition and multi-sensory, immersive experiences which incorporated visual and artistic elements. 

Subsequent analysis of the event found that its messaging around climate change and the natural world impacted on visitors’ behaviour and attitudes, whilst Cirrus Logic benefitted from the comprehensive marketing and publicity activity surrounding the festival.  

For more information on the Culture & Business Marketplace Scotland, please visit:

 https://www.cultureandbusiness.scot/marketplace/  

‘World Class Heritage, Second Class Pay’

Following a drop-in session hosted by Prospect at the Scottish Parliament about their ‘World Class Heritage on Second Class Pay’ campaign on Friday, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “As Labour’s Spokesperson for Culture, it was great to sponsor ‘The Perfect Storm: A Crisis in Heritage’ drop-in event organised by Prospect regarding its ‘World Class Heritage, Second Class Pay’ campaign. 

“Scotland’s Heritage sites are well loved by international visitors and locals alike and they benefit our economy greatly. 

“We all know that the culture sector has been hit hard in this cost-of-living crisis and has received little attention from the Scottish Government. 

“I have raised awareness of this before, for example, with the closure of Edinburgh Filmhouse, which I hope will be restored in the future. 

“However, Scotland and the UK cannot afford losing yet again more of its unique culture. 

“It is indeed a perfect storm where our World Class Heritage and its workforce in Scotland and across the UK have long been devalued and are now in jeopardy due to the cost-of-living crisis. 

“Our new generation of potential conservationists, archaeologists, curators and other specialists are also suffering; new trainees cannot even afford their rents.  

“Better pay will mean that our young people can aspire to have a stable career in Heritage. 

“It is time to fully recognise how our important Heritage workforce contributes to our local communities, our nations and across the world. 

“The matter of funding of Heritage sites is something that I have brought to the Scottish Government’s attention before, when I spoke about Historic Environment Scotland in the chamber.  

“I will work to pressure the Scottish Government to secure a better deal for our Heritage workers and preserve our fantastic Heritage sector.” 

Cultural communities: Is enough being done to support culture at community level?

What cultural activities are happening in communities across Scotland? This is just one question being asked by the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee as it starts a new inquiry.

The inquiry will see the Committee look at the Scottish Government’s Cultural Strategy, which focuses on what it calls a ‘place-based’ approach. The Committee will look at what this means for communities up and down the country and what barriers are in the way to developing local cultural activities.

Now the Committee want to hear from those who participate, attend or organise cultural activities in their local areas. It wants to find out what more needs to be done to support these activities and what difference they make to people’s lives.

Speaking as the inquiry launched, Committee Convener Clare Adamson MSP said: “Scotland has a rich cultural heritage and the very heart of that lies within our local communities.  From community choirs to book clubs, local galas to theatre groups, there is a huge range of activities taking place each and every day.

“But these activities are not always easy to access or indeed organise, so we want to find out what support is needed to make these events happen. And importantly, where this support should come from.

“Culture enriches us all and this is especially true for our communities. Which is why we want to hear directly from those at the very heart of Scotland’s local communities.”

Questions the Committee is asking include:

  • What are the key factors that support you to attend or participate in cultural activities?
  • What support has there been in place to develop and grow cultural activities or events in your local area?
  • What needs to be in place to enable or to support a variety of cultural activities or events being organised and delivered in your local area?

Celtic Connections gears up for 30th edition

Preparations are well underway for Celtic Connections, Europe’s premier folk and roots music festival, which launches in Glasgow next week.

This year marking its 30th edition, the 18-day event kicks off on Thursday 19th January, and features some of the world’s most celebrated musical artists in genre-defying spectacles and one-off collaborations.

Organisers and contributors are full steam ahead with arrangements for what is set to be a full-scale return and celebration of the Scottish music scene’s resilience in the face of adversity.

1200 musicians will take to the stage for 300 events at more than 25 venues across the city, with shows spanning traditional folk, roots, Americana, jazz, soul and world music from Thursday 19th January – Sunday 5th February.

Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said: “It feels remarkable that in just a matter of days the 30th edition of Celtic Connections will kick off in Glasgow, celebrating all genres of music, a variety of world cultures, and bringing communities together from across the globe.

“A huge amount of work and preparation has gone into this year’s festival; it is testament to the strength and tenacity of the Scottish music industry, which has successfully overcome an incredibly tough period.

We are so appreciative of the musicians and artists who have contributed in all manner of ways to Celtic Connections over the past three decades, and we will pay homage to them throughout the 2023 festival, as well as looking forward towards a bright and hopeful future. We look forward to seeing venues full, artists doing what they do best and the musical community thriving right across the city in a week’s time.

Among the wall-to-wall shows taking place across the start of 2023 is a show-stopping performance from  Irish six-piece contemporary ensemble NOTIFY, who celebrate their 10th anniversary at Saint Luke’s on Saturday 21st January, with special guests Caoimhe and Séamus Uí Fhlatharta. Support comes from The Canny Band, whose music fuses piano, diatonic button accordion and bodhrán.

On Wednesday 25th January, the Mackintosh Church will play host to Scottish folk singer, songwriter and ukulele player Claire Hastings and Welsh language singer, songwriter and musician Gwilym Bowen Rhys, along with Icelandic sibling trio Blood Harmony, who are making their unmissable Celtic Connections debut with their unique fusion of Nordic melancholic folk and Americana.

Elsewhere, Róisín Reimagined sees award-winning Irish singer Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and the Irish Chamber Orchestra team up for an exciting new project that combines Muireann’s exceptional vocals with fresh orchestral arrangements of sean nós songs, breathing new life into the noble, classical music of 16th-19th century Gaelic Ireland.

The first time another national orchestra has played Celtic Connections, they will share the stage at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Wednesday 25th January, with Brìghde Chaimbeul, Ross Ainslie and Steven Byrnes, who will perform their new album LAS, a collaboration featuring tunes from France, Scotland, Bulgaria, Ireland alongside self-penned compositions.

On Friday 27th January, Afro Celtic Connections will see Saint Luke’s play host to Rise Kagona, the founder, lead guitarist and only remaining member of the mega-successful Zimbabwean rock band The Bhundu Boys.

Also on the bill is  Diwan, who bring an exuberant fusion of funky mbalax and Afrobeat grooves, with undercurrents of ska, rock and Senegalese soul led by charismatic Senegalese singer Samba Sene and Chief Cheb, a celebrated African philosopher, poet storyteller and music teacher.

One of the most successful contemporary folk musicians from Finland, Maija Kauhanen will be combining her expressive voice with Finnish kantele and inventive percussion on Friday 27th January. She will perform at The National Piping Centre along with acclaimed traditional trio Oakes // Bews // Thorpe, and talented accordion player and composer Andrew Waite.

On Sunday 29th January, audiences at Drygate Brewery will be able to enjoy uplifting performances from Rozi Plain and Terra Kin. London-based folk musician Rozi Plain will perform tracks from her upcoming fifth LP, Prize, which continues to display her musical growth whilst retaining the home-grown intimacy and a familial warmth she is known for.

Local musician Terra Kin will present their debut EP Too Far Gone. Combining a love for jazz, ambient and folk music with a soft soulful voice, the resulting sound defies genres and is sure to delight audiences.

Malian husband-and-wife duo Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia will bring their rich, radiant blend of desert blues, Afro-pop, rock, disco and hip-hop to Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Wednesday 1st February.

Since their 2004 breakthrough album Dimanche à Bamako, produced by Manu Chao, the duo have grown a passionate international following, and have regularly appeared in Damon Albarn’s Africa Express and collaborated with Johnny Marr, Flea and David Gilmour as well as fellow African greats including Toumani Diabaté and Bassekou Kouyate.

The incredible wealth and breadth of talent on display doesn’t stop there. Saint Luke’s will also showcase the talents of Hen Hoose and Man of the Minch on Saturday 4th February. Founded by Tamara Schlesinger (aka MALKA), Hen Hoose are an all-female/non-binary songwriting collective, bringing together an array of artists from across the creative industries including Karine Polwart, Emma Pollock, Jayda and Elisabeth Elektra to produce groundbreaking new music.

Man of the Minch is the stage name of Pedro Cameron, who has become one of the most exciting names at the forefront of Scottish folk music. Performing tracks from his debut album, The Tide is at the Turning, with a full live band, he blends traditional Celtic sounds with personal and profound storytelling.

Also on Saturday 4th February, The Old Fruitmarket will host Rokia Koné’s first UK live performance of her debut album Bamanan, which was named as one of the New York Times Best Albums of 2022.

One of Mali’s most beloved and dynamic artists, Rokia will share the stage with the Togo All Stars, renowned for their spectacular live performances showcasing their distinctive blend of afrofunk and voodoo rhythms from the musical heart of West Africa.

Tickets for Celtic Connections 2023 are available from www.celticconnections.com.

BOYACK: BBC Radio Scotland cuts will be a massive hit for artists, audiences and our Scottish heritage’

Commenting on the open letter sent by members of the music scene to Angus Robertson regarding the BBC Radio Scotland cuts, Scottish Labour culture spokesperson Sarah Boyack MSP said:“The arts and culture sector is collapsing. 

“These BBC Radio Scotland cuts will be a massive hit for artists, audiences and our Scottish heritage. This decision must be reversed given the perfect storm our artists and musicians are facing.

“The proposed cuts to Creative Scotland in the Scottish Government’s budget which were announced just before Christmas will also add to the huge pressures the sector is facing and are undermining the Scottish arts and culture industry putting jobs and livelihoods at risk.

“It’s difficult to avoid a “culture of doom” when the sector desperately needs urgent solutions but all we get is vague answers.

“We need urgent action to support our musicians from both the BBC and the Scottish Government.”

Start 2023 with the best of  Royal Opera House Stream

  • 6 new recordings launched between January and April
  • The Royal Ballet: The Cellist, Romeo and Juliet and Sylvia
  • The Royal Opera: La traviata, Fidelio and Madama Butterfly

This New Year, the Royal Opera House will add six new performances to Royal Opera House Stream for audiences around the world to enjoy: The Cellist, Romeo and Juliet and Sylvia from The Royal Ballet; and La traviata, Fidelio and Madama Butterfly from The Royal Opera.

The new titles join a library of over 50 beloved productions and over 100 behind-the-scenes videos, giving audiences an opportunity to discover more by the artists they love, and watch world-class art wherever they are.

The year kicks off with a recording of Cathy Marston’s extraordinary one-act ballet The Cellist (2020).

The production – the choreographer’s first work for the Royal Opera House’s Main Stage – is a lyrical memoir of the momentous life of the cellist Jacqueline du Pré, whose brilliant career was cut short by the onset of multiple sclerosis at the age of 28.

Composer Philip Feeney incorporates music by Elgar, Beethoven, Fauré, Mendelssohn, Piatti, Rachmaninoff and Schubert into an exquisite score that is itself an homage to the cello. This multi award-winning production stars Royal Ballet Principals Lauren Cuthbertson, Marcelino Sambé and Matthew Ball.

On Thursday 19 January 2023, our latest revival of Verdi’s ever popular La traviata arrives on Royal Opera House Stream.

Richard Eyre’s production, with sumptuous belle époque-inspired designs by Bob Crowley, has long been a Royal Opera favourite, winning critical acclaim for its exquisite sets, lavish costumes, and unforgettably dramatic staging.

The performance (recorded in 2022) is sung by a truly international cast that includes Pretty Yende as Violetta Valéry, Stephen Costello as Alfredo Germont and Dimitri Platanias as Giorgio Germont.

February begins with the release of Tobias Kratzer’s production of Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio (2020), with Music Director of The Royal Opera Antonio Pappano conducting a spectacular cast led by Lise Davidsen and David Butt Philip.

Then, on Valentine’s Day 2023, Romeo and Juliet will be made available. Kenneth MacMillan’s classic adaptation of Shakespeare’s play – set to Prokofiev’s iconic score and featuring evocative designs by Nicholas Georgiadis – has remained a firm favourite of The Royal Ballet’s repertory since its premiere in 1965, which was danced by Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn.

The production offers dancers in the lead roles a wealth of opportunity for differing interpretations of the star-crossed lovers.

Two further new productions will be available from March: Frederick Ashon’s ballet Sylvia (2005), starring former Royal Ballet Principal Darcey Bussell and Guest Artist Roberto Bolle; and Puccini’s devastating opera Madama Butterfly (2022), conducted by Nicola Luisotti and sung by a stunning cast that includes acclaimed Italian soprano Maria Agresta as Cio-Cio-San, American tenor Joshua Guerrero as Lieutenant B.F Pinkerton, Spanish Baritone Carlos Álvarez as Sharpless, and English mezzo-soprano Christine Rice as Suzuki.

All Royal Opera House Stream productions come complete with extra wraparound material – interviews, masterclasses, rehearsal footage and more – giving audiences a unique behind the scenes insight into one of the world’s leading theatres.

Royal Opera House Stream currently hosts over 50 stunning works from The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera, with highlights including Wayne McGregor’s The Dante Project, Katie Mitchell’s production of Handel’s Theodora, Frederick Ashton’s La fille mal gardée, Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale and Puccini’s Tosca.

In addition to the 100+ pieces of behind-the-scenes content already online, further features – ranging from rehearsal footage to interviews and masterclasses – will be made available across 2023 for subscribers to enjoy.

Join today to watch the world’s greatest performers, emerging talent, leading choreographers and trailblazing creative teams from the comfort of your own home. From family favourites and modern masterpieces to heartbreaking arias and passionate pas-de-deux, Royal Opera House Stream offers it all: truly transformative experiences for only £9.99 a month or £99 annually.

Whatever your interest – whether classical or contemporary – there’s a breadth of content for you.

New productions from March 2023 will be announced over the coming months.

Art project inspired by wild swimming set to make a big splash

New artwork celebrates 50+ swimmers in Scotland’s East Coast communities

Fife-based artist Joanna van den Berg will embark upon a new two-year art project inspired by the lure of coastal swimming thanks to National Lottery Funding through Creative Scotland’s Open Fund.

A woman in silhouette walks out to sea in the sunlight

Developed in collaboration with swimmers, coastal artists and communities, Joanna will develop a series of mixed-media artworks, with a companion collection of writing and images.

This new project titled IMMERSE will take the form of a tribute, exploration and celebration of the growing numbers of ‘feisty 50+ers, women in particular’, whose lives, well-being and sense of solidarity have been galvanised through regular immersion in Scotland’s seas, lochs, rivers and reservoirs.

As one of many who started wild swimming during the Covid pandemic, artist Joanna van den Berg has drawn inspiration from the physical and emotional impact of this directly immersive encounter with the landscape. In Joanna’s own words, ‘the act of transitioning from land to water; the shock, the fear, the exhilaration.’

IMMERSE will host a series of exhibition/gathering events in coastal venues, aiming to produce a companion publication/anthology of text and images for wider distribution by December 2024. News on these, along with call-outs for contributors and regular updates on the project, will be available on an IMMERSE Instagram/Facebook channel from January 2023.

Artist Joanna van den Berg says: “I’m delighted to have been awarded Open Project funding for IMMERSE, a project to create visual narrative for the emotional and physical lure of wild, coastal and tidal pool swimming.

“I’ll be developing work that draws directly from the stories and experiences of swimmers in Scotland’s East Coast communities.

“Much of my work is bound in transitions between land and water, lost and found, known and unknown, and is increasingly underpinned by my experience of aging.

“I am one of an armada of wild swimmers (many of whom are older women) with a newfound and directly immersive relationship with the landscape. I’m particularly interested in the correlation of wild swimming with age-related changes to our bodies, lifestyle and social autonomy.”

The project is one of 69 projects receiving a total of £1,197,933 National Lottery funding in this latest round of Creative Scotland’s Open Fund awards.

At a glance, projects include:

  • Ullapool Book Festival’s 19th annual festival to be held on 5 and 6 May 2023.
  • A new album from acclaimed Glasgow-based folk band Gnoss.
  • Look To the Rainbow – the first biography of the Scots-born singer, actress and entertainer Ella Logan from Alison Kerr.
  • A new duo album fromLouise Dodds and Elchin Shirinov comprised of traditional Scottish Folk Songs and interwoven with influences of both jazz and Azerbaijani folk music.
  • The Party Shrimp – an interactive, outdoor, visual walkabout performance for children (5+), families from Adrenalism.
  • A Scotland-wide series of exhibitions, talks and workshops engaging audiences in the story of Bernat Klein, a Serbian born designer whose career based in the Scottish Borders spanned six decades.

Paul Burns, Interim Deputy Director of Arts & Engagement at Creative Scotland said: “As the year draws to a close, we are once again inspired by the range of exciting new projects that have received Open Fund support.

“The diversity and scope of these projects is reflective of our society as a whole, and we hope that these projects will continue to enrich the lives of people of all ages in Scotland in 2023 and beyond.”

Royal Opera House – On Screen and On Demand 

  • Brand-new this week on Royal Opera House Stream: Theodora (2022)
  • The Royal Ballet: A Diamond Celebration in global cinemas
Theodora, Royal Opera House, January 2022

This week, the Royal Opera House is delighted to be bringing world class art to audiences across the globe – offering the very best of The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera in cinemas and on demand.

On Thursday 17 November, Katie Mitchell’s gripping new production of Handel’s Theodora (4*) will be available to watch on Royal Opera House Stream.

Sung in the original English libretto and conducted by Baroque specialist Harry Bicket, the opera is a tour de force for soloists and chorus alike, with ensembles, duets and arias of profound depth and beauty.

The opera’s stellar cast includes soprano Julia Bullock as Theodora, making her Main Stage debut; Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato; Opus Klassik award-winning countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński; tenor Ed Lyon; baritone Gyula Orendt; and Jette Parker Young Artist Thando Mjandana.

The performance is released alongside a rich array of behind-the-scenes content, including a masterclass with Joyce DiDonato and an Insight event about the production.

Artists of The Royal Ballet in The Royal Ballet production of Jewels, a ballet in three acts choreographed by George Balanchine (1904-1983) to music by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) and Igor Stravinsky, performed at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 16 December 2013 ARPDATA ; JEWELS ; Music by Gabriel Fauré, Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky, Igor Stravinsky ; Choreography by George Balanchine ; Artists of The Royal Ballet ; The Royal Ballet ; At the Royal Opera House, London, UK ; 16 December 2013 ; Credit: Bill Cooper / Royal Opera House / ArenaPAL

The night before, on Wednesday 16 November, The Royal Ballet: A Diamond Celebration will be broadcast live on opening night to over 850 cinemas in 31 countries around the world.

The evening will offer an unmissable opportunity to see a stunning roster of Royal Ballet Principal dancers, the highest rank in the Company, together on stage. The gala celebrates the breadth and diversity of the Company’s repertory with a mix of classic and contemporary gems.

It includes The Royal Ballet’s first performance of For Four by Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon; world premieres by Pam Tanowitz, Royal Ballet Emerging Choreographer Joseph Toonga and First Soloist Valentino Zucchetti; and a performance of Diamonds, from George Balanchine’s Jewels. Encore screenings will run from Sunday 20 November 2022.

These two productions add to further free content on BBC channels. Oliver Mears’ new production of Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia – conducted by Corinna Niemeyer and sung by a cast drawn from the Jette Parker Artists Programme and the Britten Pears Young Artist Programme – will be broadcast on Saturday 26 November 2022 on BBC Radio 3.

Additional Royal Opera House productions continue to be available on BBC iPlayer.

Subscribe to Royal Opera House Stream today at roh.org.uk/stream.

Find your local cinema here: roh.org.uk/cinema.