Friday 2nd September 2011
Russian Valery Gerviev is festival's honorary president
BBC News
Russian conductor and opera company director Valery Gergiev is the new honorary president of the Edinburgh International Festival.
Gergiev brought the Kirov Opera to the festival in 1991, 1995 and 1997.
Renamed as the Mariinsky Opera, Gergiev's company returned in 2008 and he has also conducted at the festival.
"I can easily celebrate my 20 years with the Edinburgh International Festival, it is a wonderful place to visit," Gergiev said.
"We artists come here with a tremendous sense of responsibility and excitement.