Second Chance To Nab Edinburgh Festival Fireworks Tickets

Submitted by edg on Mon, 11 Jul '11 2.21pm

The second allocation of tickets for the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert will be released on 18th July at 10am, online, over the phone and in person at The Hub.

The thunderous finale to the Edinburgh International Festival, which takes place on the first Sunday in September, is a free event unless you want to watch it from Princes Street Garden. The limited number of tickets for seats at the concert in the Ross Theatre have already sold out. 

At 9pm, on Sunday 4th September, the sky above the iconic Edinburgh Castle will erupt with one of the world’s largest and most breathtaking fireworks displays with a live score played by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

The 45 minute spectacle of choreographed fireworks this year features music inspired by Russian royalty and Chinese romance.

The concert will open with the overture from Ruslan and Ludmilla composed by Mikhael Glinka in the late 1830s. It tells the story of the abduction of a Russian Princess on her wedding day and the quest of three knights to rescue her.

A favourite amongst children of all ages, excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s most famous ballet The Nutcracker Suite features next in the programme. The instantly recognisable Russian, Chinese and Arabian dances will provide a lively soundscape for whizzing rockets and shimmering sparks.

Alexander Borodin wrote In The Steppes of Central Asia to celebrate the twenty-fifth year of the reign of Emperor Alexander II. The debut performance never occurred, due to Alexander II's assassination in 1818. The piece is a musical tableau telling the tale of travelling Asian caravans and Russian troops crossing the desert.

The night's entertainment will then conclude with excerpts from Borodin’s unfinished opera Prince Igor, which recounts the campaign of Russian prince Igor Svyatoslavich against the invading Polovtsian tribes in 1185.

Jonathan Mills, Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival, said: “The Virgin Money Fireworks Concert will be a fantastic finale to the Edinburgh International Festival. It is an unmissable night for Edinburgh residents and their guests.”

An allocation of Gardens tickets for the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert is released for sale at 10am on Monday 18th July online (limited to four per person) and the final allocation of Gardens tickets will go on sale for counter sales only at Hub Tickets on Saturday 3rd September at 10am.

More details on watching the Festival Fireworks Concert and buying Fireworks Tickets.