The Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) has announced a high profile array of performers for its Edinburgh International Festival Conversations this August, in partnership with BBC Arts Online.
This brand new series will be presented by two broadcasters - Deborah Bull, who is Director, Culture at King’s College London and former Principal with The Royal Ballet and Creative Director of the Royal Opera House, and Scottish singer Jamie MacDougall, who has been the nation's voice of classical music for BBC Radio Scotland since 2001 as well as a regular Radio 3 presenter.
Dance legend Sylvie Guillem, theatre and film actor Juliette Binoche and innovative theatre-makers, Robert Lepage and Simon McBurney will take part in these intimate conversations held in front of a small studio audience in Edinburgh, whilst being streamed live on the BBC website.
"BBC Arts is thrilled to participate in these Conversations that will give an insight into those shows for those in and beyond Edinburgh who are unable to see them in person," said Director, BBC Arts Jonty Claypole.
Free tickets for the conversations will be made available exclusively online.
People can register their interest via the EIF website and Twitter and be entered into a ticket ballot. Winners will be advised closer to the event. People will also be able to ask the artists questions on Twitter in advance of the conversation by tweeting using the hashtags #askguillem, #askbinoche, #asklepage or #askmcburney.
“I am delighted with our line-up of Conversations this year presented in a brand new series with BBC Arts online," said EIF Director Fergus Linehan, "these artists are fascinating and innovative individuals both on and away from the stage and these special occasions will allow each of them to talk intimately to a world-wide audience.”
The 50 minute conversations will be held at and streamed from DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and are free but ticketed.