The Edinburgh Festival Theatre has made itself available to the Orchestra for ten of the proposed concerts, and the final two concerts see a return to the Usher Hall in May 2009.

Development plans for the 94 year-old venue were updated in November last year following the discovery of a range of difficulties with the construction site and these problems have now led to further delays in progress. The Orchestra will now return to its natural Edinburgh home for the penultimate and final concerts of the 08:09 Season.

Royal Scottish National Orchestra Chief Executive Simon Woods:

“The Usher Hall redevelopment project is crucial for the RSNO in a moment in our history when we are thriving and audiences are growing. Whilst the unforeseen challenges with the project are unfortunate, we are very pleased that we have been able to relocate to the Edinburgh Festival Theatre for the majority of our 2008-9 Season, so that we can continue to bring world class symphonic music to Edinburgh through this period.”

”The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is indebted to Festival City Theatres who have bent over backwards to provide a solution during this time. The RSNO had a fantastic season there last year and we are all delighted to be working with them once again.”

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra 08:09 Season in Edinburgh

Wednesday 1 October 2008, 7.30pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Wagner - Overture to The Flying Dutchman
Szymanowski - Sinfonia concertante
Mahler - Symphony No5
Stephane Deneve (conductor), Piotr Anderszewski (piano)

Friday 17 October 2008, 7.30pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Berlioz - Roman Carnival Overture
Roussel - Symphony No1 Le Poeme de la Foret
Brahms - Piano Concerto No2
Stephane Deneve (conductor), Steven Osborne (piano)

Monday 27 October 2008, 7.30pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Glazunov - La mer
Bruch - Violin Concerto in G Minor
Mussorgsky/Stokowski - Pictures at an Exhibition
Jose Serebrier (conductor), Rachel Barton-Pine (violin)

Sunday 16 November 2008, 6.00pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Sibelius - The Oceanides
Sibelius - Violin Concerto
Prokofiev - Symphony No5
Neeme Jarvi (conductor), Vadim Gluzman (violin)

Wednesday 21 January 2009, 7.30pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Rossini - William Tell Overture
Respighi- Adagio and Variations
Haydn - Cello Concerto No1 in C Major
Beethoven - Symphony No5
Roberto Abbado (conductor), Mario Brunello (cello)

Friday 30 January 2009, 7.30pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Dvorak - The Water Goblin
Glazunov - Violin Concerto
Borodin - Symphony No2
Alexander Lazarev (conductor), Alexandra Soumm (violin)

Sunday 15 February 2009, 6.00pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Valentine’s Classics
Ravel - Bolero
Grieg - Piano Concerto
Mahler - Adagietto from Symphony No5
Ennio Morricone - Cinema Paradiso
Tchaikovsky - Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
David Danzmayr (conductor), Sunwook Kim (piano)

Sunday 22 March 2009, 6.00pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Mozart - Symphony No31 Paris
Poulenc - Concerto for Two Pianos
Poulenc - Concert champetre
Offenbach - Gaite Parisienne
Stephane Deneve (conductor), Frank Braley & Eric Le Sage (pianos), Jory Vinikour (harpsichord)

Sunday 29 March 2009, 6.00pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre
A Paris Salon
Guillaume Connesson - Piano Concerto World Premiere (RSNO Commission)
Ravel - Piano Concerto in G Major
Gershwin - An American in Paris
Stephane Deneve (conductor/piano), Jean-Yves Thibaudet (piano)

Sunday 26 April 2009, 6.00pm — Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Dvorak - Scherzo Capriccioso
Kurt Schwertsik - Divertimento Macchiato for Trumpet and Orchestra (UK Premiere (RSNO Co-Commission)
Bruckner - Symphony No6
Kristjan Jarvi (conductor), Hakan Hardenberger (trumpet)

Friday 9 May 2009, 7.30pm — Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Wagner - Preludes to Acts I and III and “Liebestod” from Tristan und Isolde
Vaughan Williams - Symphony No1 Sea Symphony
Stephane Deneve (conductor), Emma Bell (soprano), Sir Thomas Allen (baritone), RSNO Chorus

Friday 15 May 2009, 7.30pm — Usher Hall, Edinburgh
Prokofiev - The Love for Three Oranges Suite
Tchaikovsky - Rococo Variations
Brahms - Symphony No2
Stephane Deneve (conductor), Sol Gabetta (cello) -- www.rsno.org.uk