On Wednesday I wandered along to the programme launch for the 2017 Edinburgh International Festival.
My wonderful friend is undertaking a Masters in Arts Management, and her class were invited along to the launch... so I managed to find myself popping along for a wee nosey!!
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised at how interesting it was, and how much I managed to learn from this event.
I have to admit that I had never realised the Edinburgh International Festival was a separate entity from the Fringe Festival. I assumed they were one and the same; just different names for the same thing.
The International Festival appears to be focused more on "high art" which is fantastic. While that originally only included opera, it has now diversified into an array of genres. These include theatre, music, dance, and now also features a "contemporary" section... a section in which I find myself most attracted to.
The actual programme book we were given is a strong indicator of the "high art" vibe of this festival. The paper stock is heavy, the prints high quality, and the images akin to what you might find in an art gallery brochure. The "high art" vibe is also reflected in the price of the events. They are considerably more than what you would pay to see a show in the Fringe Festival. However, I'm inclined to believe (in most cases!) you get what you pay for. Higher prices should reflect higher quality and greater production values.
There are certainly a few events I plan on saving my pennies for!!
Meow Meow's Little Mermaid
"Meow Meow’s Little Mermaid is a wild and hilarious riot, colliding Andersen’s dark aquatic fantasy with her own mis-adventures in love, blending sparkling frivolity with fierce intelligence – and a blowtorch wit. Casting salty sea shanties overboard, she conjures instead a glittering world of original songs and compositions by siren collaborators Amanda Palmer, Kate Miller-Heidke, Megan Washington and more. There's passion and poignancy as the mermaid longs to gain a human body, a human soul, the love of a prince... a happy ending."
You can clearly see why I am completely and gloriously excited by the prospect of this event!!!
One of my favourite musicians, who will be performing her new album "The Hope Six Demolition Project" and wonderfully enrapturing my heart and mind while doing so!
Those are the two main events I will be defintiely going to see, but I might also try and save a little money to catch "Martin Creed's Words and Music" and "The Magnetic Fields: 50 Song Memoir" as well as The Standard Life Opening Event "Bloom"
I LOVE festival season in Edinburgh, and attending this event has made me look forward to it this year so so so much more!!
I'll leave you with the best description of this festival given at the launch, and words that, for me, perfectly sum up what art is all about...
"mix serious thought with serious fun"
Much arty love.
Chloe out.
