On the other side of zero

The experience of the First World War is the main theme of the Edinburgh Festival

For three weeks, 2400 artists from 43 countries will perform at the Edinburgh International Festival , which will give more than 160 concerts and performances. It is assumed that more than a million people will visit it.

Essentially, eight separate festivals are held under the auspices of the Edinburgh festival: theatrical, opera, musical, ballet, jazz, book festival and television. In addition, a week before the International Festival in Edinburgh, the Frinj's grandiose festival, which will last until August 25 and will take place in parallel with the international.

This year, the organizers of the Edinburgh festival reflected in his program two significant events for Britain: the centenary of the British entry into the First World War and ended in Glasgow on August 4, the sports games of the Commonwealth, which included 53 countries - former British colonies and dominions. That is why the festival will perform an unprecedented number of artists from the countries of the Commonwealth: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and other countries. The special program of the festival is dedicated to the art of the South African Republic.

Military topics are presented at the festival "Military Requiem" Benjamin Britten performed by the choir, soloists and the symphonic Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis conducts. The theme of the war was affected in the theater triple of the Scottish playwright of Rona Manro “The Jacob play”, which tells about the three Scottish kings: Jacob I, II and III, and in the opera of Hector Berliosis, “Trojans”, which was brought to the Scottish capital of the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater in the production of the Greek director Yannis Kokkos (Diriger Valery Gergiev). The dramatic performance for the text of Irina Lichagina in the production of Vladimir Pankov, dedicated to the First World War, under the name "War", will show the troupe of the Moscow International Festival named after Chekhov. The theme of the First World War is also developed by the American "Kronos Quartet", which has prepared a multimedia program under the name "On the other side of zero: 1914-1918", the authors of which are the Serbian composer Alexander Nobalov and film director Bill Morrison. Indirectly, the theme of the war is also affected by the Owen Wingswall Opera Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin in the production of Neil Bartlett. On the artistic concept of the Edinburgh International Festival of 2014, Radio Liberty was told by its director, composer Jonathan Mills:

- For this year, the hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the First World War, which left a deep mark in British history. It seemed to me important to note this in the festival program. Moreover, the Edinburgh festival itself was organized shortly after the end of World War II. This was necessary not so much to note the tragic circumstances of the First World War, which

We do not extract lessons from history, but perhaps we will be able to learn from various national cultures

It was perceived while the war for the eradication of all wars, how much to emphasize that the wars, unfortunately, remain regular events in the history of mankind. We do not extract lessons from history, but perhaps we will be able to learn lessons from various national cultures. Creating this concept, I wanted to show what role culture can play in resolving human conflicts, to show its correlation with conflict, and not necessarily in a negative sense, often in a moral and spiritual meaning. I think this could change our understanding of history, and not at all to forget, but to forgive, ”said Jonathan Mills.

The musical section of the festival is impressive no less theatrical. The Si-Minor Mass of Bach and the Glaglinic Mass of Janachek, the third symphony of Leonard Bernstein ("Kadish"), "Quartet at the end of the world" Olivier Messiana, Symphony Suis of Gustav Holsta "Planet", the seventh (Leningrad) symphony of Dmitry Shostakovich. Among the musical stars is Metszo-Soprano Anna Sophie von Otter and pianist Sir Andrash Schiff. For the first time at the festival, the Spanish troupe of Flmenko of the guitarist Paco Kako will perform.

The central event of the Edinburgh festival, its director Jonathan Mills considers the dramatic triptych of Rona Manro "The play about the Yakovah":

- I can say that from the point of view of artistic ambitions, novelty and non -standard solutions, a theater project created in Scotland Rona Manro and called the “Play of Jacob” stands out. These are three historical dramas about three long -standing Scottish kings - Jacob the first, second and third. This is an innovative joint production of national theaters of Scotland and Great Britain. Its world premiere will take place on the next Saturday, ”said Jonathan Mills, director of the Edinburgh International Festival.