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‘Where do we go from here?’ was Nicola Benedetti’s eye-catching provocation in her first ever Festival as Director. In this first episode of a new series Nicola reflects on the Festival’s beginnings. In the dark days of austerity after World War II, opera impresario Rudolf Bing set up the Edinburgh International Festival as a way to reunite people through great art. It was a vision that has enriched our cultural life ever since. Nicola looks at early challenges, the legacies left by some of the Directors, as well as asking whether its original remit is still relevant today.

With contributions from composers Thea Musgrave and James MacMillan, cellist Abel Selaocoe, previous festival directors Robert Ponsonby, Brian McMaster and Jonathan Mills and broadcaster James Naughtie.