Performers include Jordi Savall (artist in residence), together with Rinaldo Alessandrini, Mark Padmore, Chiara Banchini, Andreas Scholl and The Tallis Scholars. 2007 sees the 400th anniversary of the composition of Monteverdi’s Orfeo, which is the inspiration for a range of events across the whole festival, not least Gilbert Deflo and Jordi Savall’s beautiful, Arcadian production of the opera itself.

Artists as diverse as New York choreographer Trisha Brown and theatre director Barrie Kosky show how Monteverdi continues to be relevant today. Setting Orfeo in context are performances of his Vespers of 1610 by La Capella Reial de Catalunya under Jordi Savall and his madrigals by Concerto Italiano under Rinaldo Alessandrini. There is also a concert series at Greyfriars Kirk entitled “Harmony and Humanity”, tracing the development of vocal music in the middle ages and Renaissance to explore the heritage from which Monteverdi worked.

Jordi Savall also directs his long–term collaborator and wife, soprano Montserrat Figueras and daughter, soprano Arianna Savall, with Hespèrion XXI in a concert of music inspired by Cervantes’ Don Quixote, entitled “Paradise Lost”. He also gives a solo viola da gamba recital of music by Abel, Bach, Schenk, Marais and Demachy. The Bank of Scotland Queen’s Hall Series also includes tenor Mark Padmore singing a programme of Bach cantatas and Buxtehude’s Klaglied with chamber ensemble Walking to Lübeck, and mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley with viol consort Fretwork in a programme of Gibbons, Taverner, Byrd and Purcell.

Claudio Cavina’s ensemble La Venexiana perform madrigals by Gesualdo, some of his most famous and expressive compositions, while violinist Chiara Banchini makes her Edinburgh debut, with Ensemble 415 in music by Corelli, Locatelli and Vivaldi. The “Harmony and Humanity” series includes Anonymous 4 performing music from 11th-century Provence and the Orlando Consort with two evenings of medieval music from Josquin, Machaut and Dufay.

Paul Hillier leads the Theatre of Voices, Phantasm and Ars Nova in concerts of music by William Byrd and John Taverner, while the Heulgas Ensemble under Paul Van Nevel present works by Lassus. The Tallis Scholars take the story a little further in a programme mixing music by Palestrina and his Iberian contemporaries, while Cantus Cölln conclude the series with motets by Bach. There is also a rare chance to hear Vivaldi’s opera Orlando Furioso in a concert performance by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus under Jean-Christophe Spinosi.

For further details, www.eif.co.uk