FROM whirling Turkish dervishes and fiery Hungarian gypsy music to all-female Iranian theatre, Polish opera and Israeli soldiers-turned-dancers, this year's Edinburgh International Festival certainly embraces a host of global cultures.
The new director, Jonathan Mills, in his second year at the helm of the capital's showpiece, makes no apologies for the strong international flavour to his three-week programme.
A festival theme of "artists without borders" and a drive to reflect
both the changing face of Europe and the redrawing of borders across the globe have acted as his inspirations.
Audiences will also be able to sample cutting-edge theatre from Bosnia, a world-class Georgian ballet, traditional music from Venezuela, Russia and the Czech Republic, and even a singing Lebanese nun.
But although many of the international acts will be making their festival debuts, only three world premieres will be staged in Edinburgh this summer, while the programme includes only two major "home-grown" productions, to be staged by Scottish Opera and the National Theatre of Scotland.
The Festival, which runs from 8-31 August, has secured a major coup with a brand new dance show from leading UK choreographer Matthew Bourne.
But Mr Mills has also sprung a surprise by dropping visual art from the Festival, only a year after its long-awaited return from exile under his predecessor, Brian McMaster.
Mr Mills, whose debut programme was largely lauded by critics and was a huge box-office success, swept aside suggestions that the overseas elements were too strong.
He said: "In a way it is a gamble, but programming any festival is a gamble. The important thing is to get the quality of the programming right. Remember, this is not a Scottish festival, it is an international festival that I am programming. I don't believe I've neglected Scottish companies.
"Both Scottish Opera and the National Theatre of Scotland have major new productions, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra are there.
"Our motivation with this year's programme is simple. We want to encourage people to go on a journey with us. In the early 21st century, Europe is a very different place. Recently, the European Union has expanded to encompass 27 countries.
"Political borders have been redrawn in every direction one cares to look. These borders are not just political or geographic, but, more significantly, represent a profound shift of cultural, social and even religious identity and opportunity.
"Artists from Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bosnia and Georgia are juxtaposed with work from Lebanon, Turkey, Palestine, Israel and Iran – all countries with particular challenges on their own borders."
Scottish Opera will be presenting a major new production of The Two Widows, the Czech opera based on a French farce. The other major opera production of the Festival will see the Mariinsky Opera Company perform Karol Szymanowski's King Roger.
The National Theatre of Scotland, which had a huge hit last year with The Bacchae, returns with a brand new play by David Harrower, the Scottish playwright, who wowed festival audiences with his 2005 drama, Blackbird.
Sarajevo's East West Theatre Company will be performing an adaptation of Class Enemy, the famous 1970s British play by Nigel Williams. Another hard-hitting play will be an all-Polish adaptation of 4.48 Psychosis, the controversial and harrowing drama written by British playwright Sarah Kane shortly before her suicide.
Polish film stars Magdalena Cielecka and Maja Komorowska, who recently appeared in the Oscar-nominated Katyn, will be starring in the same company's production of Dybuk, which tackles Poland's relationship with its Jewish population.
Other plays will be staged by the Palestinian National Theatre Company and Australia's Malthouse Theatre Company.
The Festival has secured a major coup with a brand new show from acclaimed choreographer Matthew Bourne.
Georgia's State Ballet Company will be appearing under the direction of Georgian-born Nina Ananiashvili, the celebrated Bolshoi and American Ballet Theatre dancer.
Israel's Batsheva Dance Company, whose performers include former soldiers, will perform work ranging from classical music and rock to traditional Israeli and Arabic folk music. Lasers and video projects will feature in a dazzling production from Australia's hotly rated Chunky Move Dance Company.
The London Symphony Orchestra will be performing all seven of Prokofiev's Symphonies. This year's Festival will offer a last chance to hear the veteran pianist Alfred Brendel live in Edinburgh, as he has vowed to retire at the end of the year.
The Scotsman critic, Joyce McMillan, said: "I think it's a fantastically exciting programme, particularly the theme that Jonathan Mills has worked through. It looks very well thought-through."
Steve Cardownie, the deputy leader of Edinburgh City Council, said officials would ensure that refurbishment work on the Usher Hall, the main venue for concerts, would be halted completely for the Festival.
Booking opens on 12 April.
