Edinburgh Festival Guide

Listings: Contemporary

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From Death to Death and Other Small Tales: Masterpieces from the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and the D.Daskalopoulos Collection

From Death to Death and Other Small Tales brings together works from the D.Daskalopoulos Collection, one of the most important private collections of modern and contemporary art, with major works from the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. This innovative exhibition comprises approximately 130 works and creates a…

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, Edinburgh

Wed 22 May

Free / 0131 624 6200

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:00 – 17:00

Thu 23 May

Free / 0131 624 6200

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:00 – 17:00

Fri 24 May

Free / 0131 624 6200

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:00 – 17:00
…and 107 more dates

Dance Odysseys

This festival within a festival celebrates the breadth of ballet from classic to contemporary. Featuring a diverse mixture of world premières, including work from Scottish Ballet, Scottish Dance Theatre and Gelabert Azzopardi Companyia de Dansa. Part of Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Edinburgh: various venues

Fri 16 Aug

Times & prices vary / 0131 473 2000

Sat 17 Aug

Times & prices vary / 0131 473 2000

Sun 18 Aug

Times & prices vary / 0131 473 2000

…and 1 more date

L.A. Dance Project

A brilliant programme of modern masterworks from one of the hottest names in dance. Benjamin Millepied brings his new company to the UK for the first time, following his huge success as choreographer and star of Darren Aronofsky’s award-winning film Black Swan. L.A. Dance Project is an artist collective founded by…

The Edinburgh Playhouse

Sat 24 Aug

£10–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Sun 25 Aug

£10–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Mon 26 Aug

£10–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Bang on a Can All-Stars

Ghosts of the past and present collide through video and sound technology in this evening-long project from the internationally renowned Brooklyn-based Bang on a Can All-Stars, an electric chamber ensemble that brings together some of the world’s most adventurous musical thinkers. The Field Recordings project looks back…

Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Fri 23 Aug

£12–£34 / 0131 473 2000

Contemporary Classics

Exciting contemporary classics from established choreographers each of whom challenged their own genre of dance. Featuring Christopher Bruce’s 'Shift', an energetic study of 1940s factory workers during the war; Jirí Kylián’s 14´20˝ – a sensual duet of feral beauty and human entanglement taken from the choreographer’s…

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Fri 16 Aug

£12 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

Sat 17 Aug

£12 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

Mon 19 Aug

£12 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

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Conversations: Ensemble musicFabrik

Members of Ensemble musikFabrik talk to composer John Harris about their unique artistic vision.

The Hub, Edinburgh

Thu 29 Aug

£6 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Conversations with Artists.

Conversations: Philip Glass and Patti Smith

Philip Glass is joined by Patti Smith to discuss their cross-art form collaboration The Poet Speaks with writer and broadcaster Richard Coles.

The Hub, Edinburgh

Tue 13 Aug

£6 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Conversations with Artists.

Don Quichotte du Trocadéro

José Montalvo combines farce, burlesque and commedia dell’arte for the 21st century with urban and modern dance, film and slapstick comedy in his brilliant new show. Don Quixote, in his fifties, decides to achieve great things and finds himself in the dance halls, or Trocaderos, of Europe – traditional meeting and…

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Thu 29 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Fri 30 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Sat 31 Aug

£12–£30 / 0131 473 2000

Ensemble musicFabrik

A concert of blazing energy, infectious rhythms and big sounds as Cologne-based contemporary music group Ensemble musikFabrik celebrates the sometimes outrageous music of US maverick Frank Zappa. Led from the drumkit by superstar percussionist Dirk Rothbrust, the ensemble explores connections between Zappa’s wild…

Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Wed 28 Aug

£12–£34 / 0131 473 2000

Follow the Thread – Artist Rugs: Dovecot's Contemporary Rug Collection

Pioneers in tapestry and rug making for over a 100 years, Dovecot Studios presents an exhibition of hand-tufted rugs created in collaboration with well known contemporary artists. These graphic and vibrant works uniquely showcase the colour blending and design skills of Dovecot’s artist weavers and rug-tufters working…

Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh

Fri 2 Aug

Free / 0131 550 3660

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:30 – 18:30

Sat 3 Aug

Free / 0131 550 3660

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:30 – 18:30

Sun 4 Aug

Free / 0131 550 3660

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:30 – 18:30
…and 39 more dates back to top

Im (Goldenen) Schnitt I (reconstruction 1996)

Moving through constellations of wood and Plexiglas pillars, reacting in sculptor Vera Röhm’s space Cesc Gelabert recreates Gerhard Bohner’s original concept highlighting elements of dance, visual arts and music while allowing them to remain autonomous. Bach’s 'Well-Tempered Clavier', interpreted by Keith Jarrett…

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Mon 19 Aug

£10–£18 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

New Voices

World premieres: California’s Helen Pickett – a former dancer for William Forsythe and now Resident Choreographer at Atlanta Ballet – is renowned for energetic yet poetic creations. James Cousins’s contemplative and gripping style has won him the inaugural New Adventures Choreographer Award. Martin Lawrance shares the…

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Fri 16 Aug

£12 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

Sun 18 Aug

£12 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

Mon 19 Aug

£12 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

New Voices Discussion

A panel of emerging choreographers discusses the New Voices programme, hosted by Dance Base Artistic Director Morag Deyes.

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Fri 16 Aug

Free / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

The Vodnjan Collective: Croatia Scotia

The Vodnjan Collective comprises ten artists based in Scotland: Annie Broadley, Hans K Clausen, Paul Clowney, Tessa Clowney, Amanda Egerton-King, Alexander Hamilton, Diana Hoare, Susie Johnston, Susanna Laing and Anna Welsh. To coincide with the admission of Croatia to the European Union in 2013, Croatia Scotia…

Doubtfire Gallery, Edinburgh

Sat 3 Aug

Free / 0131 225 6540

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:00 – 17:00

Mon 5 Aug

Free / 0131 225 6540

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:00 – 17:00

Tue 6 Aug

Free / 0131 225 6540

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:00 – 17:00
…and 22 more dates

To Dream Again

World Premiere: Cellist Peter Gregson’s new work To Dream Again unfolds after a series of interactions between the audience and bespoke data systems. Created especially for this world premiere, these audience interactions mean that each performance develops in an entirely different way in the laboratory venue and…

Inspace, Edinburgh

Mon 19 Aug

£15 / 0131 473 2000

Tue 20 Aug

£15 / 0131 473 2000

Thu 22 Aug

£15 / 0131 473 2000

…and 2 more dates back to top

Art, Science and Performance

Leonardo is celebrated as both an inspired artist and anatomist. This special event considers how contemporary artists, performers and scientists are informed by each other’s work in their exploration of the human body. Part of the Clod Ensemble’s Performing Medicine programme in collaboration with Wellcome Trust.

The Queen's Gallery, Edinburgh

Fri 23 Aug

£15 (£12) / 0131 473 2000

Distant Shore

Down Under trio from Canberra bring their celebrated repertoire of original folk, country, jazz and blues-influenced music to the Fringe for the first time. www.cubbyhousestudio.com.au.

Acoustic Music Centre @ St Brides, Edinburgh

Thu 15 Aug

£10 (£8) / 0131 346 8237

Fri 16 Aug

£10 (£8) / 0131 346 8237

Sat 17 Aug

£10 (£8) / 0131 346 8237

Pierrot Lunaire (1962)

This seminal work from American dancer and choreographer Glen Tetley was also the starting point of his now iconic choreographic style – combining modern dance with the elongated line and aerial bravura of ballet. It is a style he perfected through his professional career performing leading roles in the Martha Graham…

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Sat 17 Aug

£10–£18 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

Reflections on Dance Odysseys

Mary Brennan, Dance Critic of The Herald, chairs a discussion with Scottish Ballet Artistic Director Christopher Hampson, Scottish Dance Theatre Artistic Director Fleur Darkin and Dance Base Artistic Director Morag Deyes.

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Mon 19 Aug

Free / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

Collectors' Choice

This exhibition will examine the motivations, processes and benefits of collecting contemporary art through displaying works owned by a wide variety of participating collectors: from first-time buyers to corporates, and from family collections to those held by national institutions. The artists whose works are…

Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

Sat 20 Jul

Free / 0131 225 6671

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:00 – 17:00

Sun 21 Jul

Free / 0131 225 6671

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 12:00 – 17:00

Mon 22 Jul

Free / 0131 225 6671

Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.

  • 10:00 – 17:00
…and 48 more dates back to top

Conversations: Bang on a Can All-Stars

Members of New York City’s Bang on a Can All-Stars discuss making music new with Edinburgh-based composer John Harris.

The Hub, Edinburgh

Fri 23 Aug

£6 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Conversations with Artists.

Conversations: Marco Stroppa and Pierre-Laurent Aimard

Electronic music composer Marco Stroppa and pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard talk to BBC Radio 3 presenter Tom Service about their pioneering work.

The Hub, Edinburgh

Mon 19 Aug

£6 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Conversations with Artists.

Conversations: Meredith Monk

Meredith Monk explores the artist’s relationship with the environment, in conversation with Philip Campbell, editor of Nature magazine.

The Hub, Edinburgh

Thu 15 Aug

£6 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Conversations with Artists.

Édouard Lock: World Premiere (2013)

Scottish Ballet presents a World Premiere from La La La Human Steps Founder, Artistic Director and Choreographer Édouard Lock. Lock is renowned for his extreme, incandescent style of dance and his precise technique. His boldly challenging style has always attracted international attention. His creations are an arresting…

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Fri 16 Aug

£10–£18 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

Forgotten Memories

This is a filmed documentary on Jirí Kylián’s life, way of thinking and most significant creations. Shot in 2011 in The Hague, Prague, Monte Carlo and Paris with Sabine Kupferberg dancing as Kylián rehearses some of his works. Film directed by Christian Dumais-Lvowski and Don Kent.

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Fri 16 Aug

£4 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.

Mon 19 Aug

£4 / 0131 473 2000

Part of Dance Odysseys.