Edinburgh International Festival reveals its first 2016 programme production

The Edinburgh International Festival has revealed its first production for next year's programme.

The Salzburg Festival's production of Bellini's Norma will open the opera section, with tickets on sale from Saturday 21 November.

The festival also plans to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, and feature works from modern US playwrights.

The festival runs from Friday 5 to Monday 29 August 2016.

In addition to the core classical music programme, the post-rock band Mogwai will play the score of Mark Cousin's film Atomic and folk musician Martin Green is set to collaborate with Portishead.

Cecilia Bartoli, the opera's mezzo soprano, said: "It is a joy to be making my opera debut at the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival with these performances of Norma.

"I look forward to sharing our new vision of Bellini's masterpiece with the festival public.

"It is a role that represents a milestone in my career and a production that is very dear to my heart."

Fergus Linehan, the festival's director, said: 'We are thrilled to bring this remarkable reworking of Norma to Edinburgh where it can be enjoyed by opera fans in the UK for the first time, as well as marking the festival debut of Cecilia Bartoli.

"We look forward to welcoming Ms Bartoli and the Norma company to the 2016 Festival with this landmark production."

Richard Lewis, Edinburgh city council's festivals and events champion, said: "This announcement is just one glimpse into the Edinburgh International Festival's 2016 programme and suggests another thrilling year is in store for classical music fans.

"Mezzo soprano Cecilia Bartoli is one of the world's greatest and most versatile opera performers, and in the title role from Bellini's Norma, the Festival Theatre performances will be her Edinburgh debut."