The 2015 Festival will take place Aug. 7-31, coinciding with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Edinburgh Art Festival.

In recent years, the International Festival has started a week later than the other major events and run on a week longer after they end. According to press materials, the intention is to ensure that the core summer festival season in Edinburgh hosts a scale and diversity of events impossible to experience elsewhere in the world.

In a press statement, Linehan commented, "After a period of reflection and consultation with a wide range of people involved in the city, the Festivals and associated businesses, it has been decided to move the Edinburgh International Festival’s dates forward one week from 2015. The unique combination and coincidence of Edinburgh’s summer festivals at full strength contributes to our world-wide success. It is this buzz and breadth of choice that offers the best possible experience for audiences and artists alike. Protecting this pre-eminence is crucial to the continuing phenomenal success of this world leading Festival city."

Linehan has also made an early announcement of events planned for the 2015 festival, which will include an Edinburgh run for Ivo van Hove's new production of Antigone that will be seen first in Luxembourg and at London's Barbican Theatre. According to press materials, "This project signals a move towards the presentation of major new international co-productions in theatre."

For further details, visit www.eif.co.uk.