A Spectacular Opening Night for the Edinburgh International Festival
A Spectacular Opening Night for the Edinburgh International Festival
A Spectacular Opening to the Edinburgh International Festival 2026
The Edinburgh International Festival returned to the city with a spectacular opening concert, and, for me, it was a wonderful way to start this year’s festival.
My evening actually started a few hours before the concert, in Morningside. I decided to make a bit of an occasion of it and began with an excellent lunch at the Canny Man’s, a pub I would highly recommend. I went for a proper Scottish favourite – haggis, neeps and tatties – and it was absolutely perfect.
From Morningside, it was on to the Usher Hall, where I made my way to the private press gathering at Mezzo Suite for a pre-concert drink. By this point, there was a real sense of anticipation in the building. People were arriving, conversations were flowing, and you could feel that this wasn't simply another Saturday night concert. This was the opening of the Edinburgh International Festival.
Then it was time for the main event.
Opening Concert: All Rise brought Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to Edinburgh for an evening that was big, uplifting and, at times, quite breathtaking.
I should probably say from the start that I am certainly no expert when it comes to jazz. My knowledge of jazz is fairly limited, so I am not going to pretend that I can give a technical assessment of everything that was happening on stage.
What I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Sometimes you don't need to know everything about a particular style of music to appreciate just how good a performance is. You can simply sit back, listen and enjoy the experience, and that was very much how I approached All Rise.
From the beginning, there was a real sense of occasion.
The sheer number of performers involved made an immediate impression, and when everyone came together, the sound was tremendous. There were powerful moments that seemed to fill the entire venue, followed by much quieter sections that gave the evening a completely different feeling.
It was also wonderful to see Wynton Marsalis performing in Edinburgh. Even with my limited knowledge of jazz, I am well aware of his reputation and standing in the music world, and seeing him perform live with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra was something quite special.
What struck me most, however, was the enjoyment and enthusiasm coming from the stage.
You could see that this was a group of exceptionally talented performers who genuinely enjoyed making music together. That enthusiasm reached the audience and helped create a warm and uplifting atmosphere throughout the evening.
There were times when I simply found myself watching everything happening on stage and taking it all in. With so many performers involved, there was always something to catch your attention.
And that, for me, is one of the great things about attending a live performance.
You can listen to music at home, watch performances online and read about them afterwards, but actually being there is completely different. You feel the music, you see the interaction between the performers, and you experience the reaction of the audience around you.
All Rise certainly provided plenty of those moments.
There was also something very fitting about this being the opening concert of the Edinburgh International Festival. Edinburgh in August has an atmosphere that is difficult to describe unless you have experienced it. The streets become busier, performers and visitors arrive from all over the world, and suddenly the city feels completely different.
The opening of the International Festival adds another dimension to that.
For one evening, it felt as though everyone inside the venue was simply there to enjoy the music and celebrate the beginning of another festival.
I went into the concert not really knowing what to expect from All Rise, and perhaps that made the evening even more enjoyable. I wasn't sitting there trying to analyse every part of the performance. I was simply experiencing it.
By the end, I felt that I had witnessed something genuinely special.
As an opening night, it worked brilliantly. It was ambitious, colourful, energetic and full of life, but most importantly, it was enjoyable.
Walking out afterwards, there was that unmistakable feeling that Edinburgh's festival season was now properly under way.
If the opening night is anything to go by, we have an exciting few weeks ahead.
A fantastic performance, a memorable evening and a wonderful start to the 2026 Edinburgh International Festival.
By Daren Frankish
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