Edinburgh International Festival to focus on Asian cultures

London, Nov 16 (ANI): The Edinburgh International Festival, which will take place next year, will be focusing on Asian cultures, with performers from countries like China, India, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Vietnam taking part.

Festival director Jonathan Mills said the August 2011 programme would include an Edinburgh debut for the National Ballet of China, and other highlights will include the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mills, who made the announcement in the Chinese capital Beijing, paid tribute to the developing cultural ties with the Chinese government.

"The exquisite and sensual cultures of Asia have long inspired western artists," the BBC quoted the festival director as saying.

"Festival 2011 sets these works alongside theatre, opera, music and dance from the diverse cultures of Asia, from Vietnam to China; taking audiences on a journey to immerse themselves in the beauty, traditions and distinctive philosophies of Asian cultures both ancient and modern," he stated.

Mills also announced four companies who would be making their festival debut, though the full programme will be announced in March 2011.

"Festival 2011 is no mere history lesson, it will be a heady three weeks of exquisite artistic exploration which I hope will intoxicate audiences. I look forward to revealing the full programme in March next year," he added.

The Edinburgh International Festival 2011 will run from August 12 to September 4. (ANI)