Preview of the year
Edinburgh International Festival (10—30 Aug) Names being touted for the Festival’s 50th birthday include Bryn Terfel. Peter Stein. Pierre Boulez and Alfred Brendel. Just another August oftop quality theatre. music. art. opera and dance. really. Edinburgh Festival Fringe ( 10—30 Aug) Who will follow in Dylan Moran's footsteps for the comedy
award? Who will claim the prize for the
most bizarre and disgustingly filthy circus act? How many shows will you be able to cram into three weeks? These are the crucial questions everyone is asking about the Fringe 97. Edinburgh Film Festival (10—24 Aug) With Mark Cousins’s reign as director now over. much intrigue will lie in how film critic Lizzie Francke fares stepping into his shoes.
Edinburgh Book Festival (Charlotte Square Gardens. 9-25 Aug) Making a welcome return after its bi-annual sabbatical. the book bonanza is hoping to launch new tents and themes with around 400 author-events scheduled. Mayfest (Various venues. Glasgow. 1—24 May) Happy fourteenth birthday to Glasgow's cultural beanfcast with last year‘s attendance figure of 160.000 expected to be topped this time around. Highlights include the May Day spectacular with huge puppets created by Fablevision, the Cornpania Antonio Gades dance troupe and Peter Maxwell Davies‘s new opera Resurrection.
T in the Park ( Site TBC. July) Scotland's biggest music bonanza will have a new venue as it expands to tmly ginormous proportions. Completely unfounded predictions for potential headliners for year four? Supergrass and Ash should be there and thereabouts to top the bash.
Glasgayi (Various venues. Glasgow, 3| Oct—8 Nov) The bi-annual gay festival is now onto its third year, with the CCA. Tron and Citz among its venues. An outdoor extravaganza will open the festival and simultaneously celebrate Hallowe'en.
10 The List l0-23 Jan 1997
Companla Antonio Gades dance troupe will be returning to Maytest alter last year’s stunning Carmen
New Moves Across Europe (Tramway.
l7 Feb—22 Mar) The UK’s major international festival ofdance is now into its tenth year and provides a platform for many new artists to really take off. For 97. there will be videos. exhibitions. workshops. schools programmes and a pasta bar to satisfy dance fans.
Glasgow International Jazz Festival (Various venues. 27 Jun—6 Jul) Expect the usual top quality selection of names. genres and nationalities for two weeks of hot jazz.
Edinburgh international Jazz Festival (Van'ous venues. Aug) Keep an eye out for announcements as the organisers ponder over a major overhaul of the jazzfest. international Science Festival (Various venues. Edinburgh. 22 Mar—6 Apr) Spreading over 40 venues across
the capital. the science festival can lay claim to being the world‘s first and largest public event devoted to the celebration of science. Boffins and lay folks alike can experience the thrill of discoveries in the field of science past, present and future. lfyou hated chemistry. physics and biology at school. this may well change your mind.
Scottish International Children's Festival (lnverleith Park. Edinburgh. l9—25 May) Companies from across Europe. Canada and the UK will take part in the country's top kids' festival with giant tents. workshops and a mixture of education and arts to keep the weans happy. Aimed at the 3—l4 year-old bracket. there will also be a special murder mystery show at Theatre Workshop for twelve-year-olds and upwards.
FebFest (Bedlam Theatre/Netherme Theatre. Edinburgh. i4—22 Feb) A nine-day parade of the brightest and finest new writing in Scottish theatre. Renfrew 600 (I Jan — 31 Dec) To celebrate Renfrew's 600th year as a Royal Burgh. a twelve month festival of delights is in place. The highlight is The Historical Pageant. produced by PACE Theatre Company.
Aberdeen Alternative Festival (Various venues. 9— i 8 ()ct) Aberdeen's answer to the central belt domination of the festival circuit is now into its fifteenth year with the localised aspects ofceilidhs and workshopsjoined by a host oftop names. James Brown. Bob Downe and Ocean Colour Scene have all performed in recent years. Come August. the full programme will be available.
Islamic Festival (Various venues. Glasgow. 9 May—Dec) Glasgow's museums will be exploring Islamic culture anti its relationship with the west. including the veil. the works of master calligrapher Ghani-an-Ani. and the ways in which European art have been influenced by Islam.
3. . g The Highland Festival (23 May—7
T in the Park will stretch as tar the eye can see, again
Jun) Every one had such a good time at last year's inaugural festival that they thought they‘d do it all again. Seventy thousand people flocked to see the music. drama. dance. storytelling and visual arts on offer and there's no reason why that can't be bettered in 97 with 200 events in 50 venues.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay The nation’s
major New Year bash gets bigger and. yup. better each year but let‘s recover from this one first shall we?
Fotofeis (Various venues. Oct 9-Nov 9) Edinburgh. Glasgow and Aberdeen play host to the event which drew in 750.000 photography lovers tWo years ago. Multiple exhibitions and events will explore the many facets ofthe camera's art. Look out for programme details in the spring.