Edinburgh Castle to host outdoor concert screening of first Harry Potter film with live orchestral performance

Edinburgh Castle is to host the city’s biggest ever celebration of Harry Potter this summer.

An open-air screening of the first chapter of the blockbuster movie series will be accompanied by a live performance of composer John Williams’ classic score by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO).

The event, the latest addition to Regular Music’s Castle Concerts series, will also be part of an official Harry Potter Film Concert Series – an official global concert tour of the film adaptations, which has attracted more than three million fans since the first events in 2016.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will be screened at Edinburgh Castle esplanade this summer with a live soundtrack performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Around 8,300 fans of the films and Edinburgh author JK Rowling’s books are expected to pack out the castle esplanade for the show on July 14 – the first ever performance by the RSNO of the full Philosopher's Stone score.

With tickets due to go on sale on Friday, the Harry Potter event will be staged less than a month before the arena plays host to the Royal Military Edinburgh Tattoo.

Earlier this year, new Tattoo chief executive Jason Barrett revealed ambitions to expand the number and nature of the other events which are staged at the arena before the show's three-and-a-half week run gets underway in early August.

A 39ft-wide video screen will be installed to show Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone at this summer’s event. The celebration is being staged 19 years after Rowling hosted an intimate launch event for fans for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth novel in her series, which has seen more than 600 million books sold worldwide since her first novel was published in 1997.

Daniel Radcliffe played Harry Potter in the film adaptations of JK Rowling's novels.

Regular Music have already confirmed six outdoors shows at the esplanade in the run up to the Tattoo, featuring Madness, JLS, The National, Paul Weller, Skipinnish and a double-headliner show with Suede and the Manic Street Preachers. Rod Stewart, Tom Jones, Paul Weller, Deacon Blue, Westlife, Olly Murs, Kylie Minogue and The Proclaimers have previously performed against the backdrop of the attraction.

Regular Music chief executive Mark Mackie said: "For many years we've been hoping to bring together three of Scotland’s major gifts to the world – Harry Potter, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Edinburgh Castle – for this incredibly special project. We are absolutely delighted that the planets have aligned this year and we're able to present this truly unforgettable experience."

Audrey Jones, head of events at Historic Environment Scotland, which runs Edinburgh Castle, said: “I’m sure that this will be a magical night and a unique opportunity to enjoy this music in the magnificent surroundings of the castle, sitting majestically on top of Edinburgh’s Old Town, which is said to have provided much of the inspiration for the original story, and continues to enchant people from around the world.”

Tattoo chief executive Jason Barrett said: "I can think of no better place than our home at Edinburgh Castle as the perfect backdrop for something as celebrated as Harry Potter. For over 74 years, every August we create our own magic on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade. This year, we're excited that the magic of the Wizarding World will make its way to our stage and dazzle audiences.”

A signed copy of J.K Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone pictured in Christie's auction house, London. Picture: Cathal McNaughton/PA Wire

Justin Freer, producer and conductor of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series, said: "It is a once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomenon that continues to delight millions of fans around the world. This is truly an unforgettable event.”