Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
11
THE PERFORMING ARTS
The following venues are organized on the basis of the primary forms of perfor-
mance—drama, opera, ballet, and such—that they host. But obviously, a stage that
offers Shakespeare one week might be the home of Handel on another.
Classical Music, Ballet, & Opera
Edinburgh Festival Theatre This 1,900-seat theater was formerly the Art Deco
Empire, which dated to the 1920s. After extensive renovations in 1994, it reopened
in time for the Edinburgh Festival (hence the name). Located on the south side of
the city center, about a 10-minute walk from the Royal Mile and near the University
of Edinburgh Old Campus, it has performances by Scotland's national opera and
ballet, as well as touring companies and orchestras. 13-29 Nicolson St. &   0131/529-6000
for the box office, or 0131/662-1112 for administration. www.eft.co.uk. Tickets £6-£45. Bus: 5, 7, 8, or 29.
Concert Halls
Queen's Hall About a mile or so south of the Royal Mile, the Queen's Hall dates
to the 1820s and began life as the Hope Park Chapel, but was altered in the 1970s
(coinciding with Queen Elizabeth's silver jubilee) to accommodate concerts. Primar-
ily a venue for classical works, it is particularly busy during Edinburgh's Jazz and
International festivals. Occasionally it also hosts high-brow and brainy rock acts,
such as Nils Lofgren and Joan Armatrading. Clerk St. &   0131/668-2019. www.thequeens
hall.net. Bus: 5, 7, 8, or 29.
Ross Theatre The city council-managed stage toward the western end of Princes
Street Gardens, with the castle as dramatic backdrop, is open during the summer
for outdoor concerts and sometimes Scottish country-dancing dos, usually in the
long, languid evenings. For Hogmanay, this is the premier stage for leading pop and
rock acts. West Princes St. Gardens. &   0131/220-4351. www.edinburgh.gov.uk. Bus: 3, 4, or 25.
Usher Hall Built in the 1890s, thanks to the bequest of distiller Andrew
Usher, this Beaux Arts building is Edinburgh's equivalent of Carnegie Hall. During
the International Festival, the horseshoe-shaped auditorium hosts such orchestras as
the London Philharmonic. But it is not only a venue for classical music, with top
touring jazz, world music, and pop acts also playing here through the year. 71 Lothian
Rd. &   0131/228-1155. www.usherhall.co.uk. Bus: 1, 10, 15, or 34.
Theater
Edinburgh Playhouse Located at the top of Leith Walk, this venue is best known
for hosting popular plays or musicals and other mainstream acts when they come to
town, whether Miss Saigon or Lord of the Dance. Formerly a cinema, it is, apparently,
the largest theater of its type in Great Britain with more than 3,000 seats. 18-22 Green-
side Place. &   0131/524-3333. www.edinburgh-playhouse.co.uk. Tickets £8-£35. Bus: 5 or 22.
Kings Theatre This 1,300-seat Edwardian venue, with a domed ceiling and
Glasgow-style stained-glass doors and red-stone frontage, is more than 100 years old.
Located on the edge of Tollcross, southwest of the castle, it offers a wide repertoire,
including traveling West End plays, productions by the National Theatre of Scot-
land, ballet, and opera. During December and January, it is the premier theater for
 
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