Opera continued to be one of the most important features of the Edinburgh International Festival in the third decade.
Edinburgh Festival Opera, a company which first presented operas at the festival in 1965, contributed five productions (with two of them performed over two years), while Glasgow-based Scottish Opera performed seven. Meanwhile, the tradition of inviting guest companies continued with the English Opera Group, Hamburg State Opera, Teatro Comunale, Florence (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino), Frankfurt Municipal Opera, National Theatre, Prague, Deutsche Oper Berlin (twice), Deutsche Oper am Rhein (twice), Teatro Massimo, Palermo, Hungarian State Opera, and Royal Opera, Stockholm all appeared at the festival.
Distinguished conductors included Claudio Abbado, Gerd Albrecht, Daniel Barenboim, Richard Bonynge, Christoph von Dohnányi, Alexander Gibson, Charles Mackerras, and Giuseppe Patanè.
Major opera directors included Peter Ebert, Götz Friedrich, Colin Graham, Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, Peter Ustinov, and Wieland Wagner.
Star female singers included Janet Baker, Agnes Baltsa, Teresa Berganza, Ileana Cotrubaș, Leyla Gencer, Anna Moffo, Birgit Nilsson, Regina Resnik, Renata Scotto, Anja Silja, Elisabeth Söderström, Joan Sutherland, Tatiana Troyanos, Julia Varady, Shirley Verrett, and Galina Vishnevskaya, while male singers included Luigi Alva, Nicolai Gedda, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Geraint Evans, Tito Gobbi, Luciano Pavarotti, Peter Pears, Ruggero Raimondi and John Shirley-Quirk.
1967 (three productions) Orchestra, Choir, ConductorDirector, Set DesignerFemale singerMale singer Edinburgh Festival Opera production of Orfeo ed Euridice by Joseph Haydn, August 25, 29, September 1, 4, 6, 9, 1967 (six performances) at the Kings TheatreScottish National OrchestraScottish Opera ChorusRichard BonyngeRudolph HartmannHeinz Ludwig designerJoan Sutherland EuridiceMary O'Brien GenioNicolai Gedda OrfeoSpiro Malas CreonteSimon Gilbert PlutoMalcolm King Chorista IJohn Graham Chorista II Edinburgh Festival Opera production of I Capuleti ed i Montecchi by Bellini, August 30, September 2, 5, 7, 1967 (four performances) at the Kings TheatreLondon Symphony OrchestraScottish Opera ChorusClaudio AbbadoAntonello Madau-DiazAnna Moffo GiulettaGiacomo Aragall RomeoWalter Monachesi LorenzoLuciano Pavarotti TebaldoGiovanni Fojani Cappellio Scottish Opera production of The Rake's Progress by Igor Stravinsky, August 21, 26, 31, September 8, 1967 (four performances) at the Kings TheatreScottish National OrchestraScottish Opera ChorusAlexander GibsonPeter EbertRalph Koltai designerElizabeth Robson Anne TrueloveSona Cervena Baba the TurkJohanna Peters Mother GooseAlexander Young Tom RakewellPeter van der Bilt Nick ShadowFrancis Egerton SellemDavid Kelly TrueloveRonald Morrison Keeper
1968 (eight productions) Orchestra, Choir, ConductorDirector, Set DesignerFemale singerMale singer Scottish Opera production of Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten, August 19, 21, 23, 26, 1968 (four performances) at the Kings TheatreAlexander GibsonColin GrahamAlix Stone designerPhyllis Curtin Ellen OrfordJohanna Peters Mrs SedleyElizabeth Bainbridge AuntieRichard Cassilly Peter GrimesJohn Shaw BalstrodeHarold Blackburn Swallow English Opera Group production of Punch and Judy by Harrison Birtwhistle, August 22, 24, 1968 (two performances) at the Kings TheatreDavid AthertonAnthony BeschPeter Rice designerMaureen Morelle JudyJenny Hill Pretty PollyGeoffrey Chard ChoregosJohn Cameron PunchJohn Winfield LawyerWyndham Parfitt Doctor Hamburg State Opera production of Elektra by Richard Strauss, August 29, September 3, 6, 1968 (three performances) at the Kings TheatrePhilharmonic State Orchestra of HamburgLeopold LudwigUlrich WenkAlfred Siercke designerRegina Resnik ClytemnestraGladys Kuchta ElektraIngrid Bjoner ChrysothemisHelmut Melchert AegisthusHans Sotin OrestesCarl Schultz Orestes' tutor Hamburg State Opera production of Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss, August 30, September 4, 7, 1968 (three performances) at the Kings TheatrePhilharmonic State Orchestra of HamburgLeopold LudwigUlrich WenkAlfred Siercke designerTatiana Troyanos ComposerSylvia Geszty ZerbinettaArlene Saunders Primadonna/AriadneRegina Marheineke NajadeCvetka Ahlin DryadeHelga Thieme EchoToni Blankenheim Major-domoHerbert Fliether Music masterErnst Kozub Tenor/BacchusRudolf Mandak OfficerGerhard Unger Dancing master/BrighellaHans Sotin Wig makerFranz Grundheber LackeyHeinz Blankenburg HarlequinWilhelm Brokmeier ScaramuccioNoel Mangin Truffaldino Hamburg State Opera production of Der fliegende Holländer by Richard Wagner, August 31, September 2, 5, 1968 (three performances) at the Kings TheatrePhilharmonic State Orchestra of HamburgChorus of the Hamburgische StaatsoperCharles MackerrasWieland Wagner producer and designerAnja Silja SentaUrsula Boese MaryTheo Adam DutchmanRichard Cassilly ErikErnst Wiemann DalandGerhard Unger Steersman English Opera Group production of The Prodigal Son by Benjamin Britten, August 26, 28, 29, 31 1968 (four performances) at St Mary's CathedralColin Graham director and designerAnnena Stubbs costumesPeter Pears TempterRobert Tear Tempter/Younger SonBryan Drake Father/Elder SonJohn Shirley-Quirk FatherBenjamin Luxon Elder SonMalcolm Rivers Elder SonBernard Dickerson Younger Son English Opera Group production of The Burning Fiery Furnace by Benjamin Britten, August 29, 30 1968 (two performances) at St Mary's CathedralColin Graham director and designerAnnena Stubbs costumesBryan Drake AstrologerMalcolm Rivers AstrologerKenneth Macdonald NebuchadnezzarBenjamin Luxon AnaniasRobert Tear MisaelBernard Dickerson MisaelPaschal Allen AzariasPeter Leeming Herald English Opera Group production of Curlew River by Benjamin Britten, August 27, 30, 1968 (two performances) at St Mary's CathedralColin Graham director and designerAnnena Stubbs costumesHarold Blackburn AbbotBenjamin Luxon FerrymanJohn Shirley-Quirk FerrymanMalcolm Rivers TravellerBryan Drake TravellerRobert Tear MadwomanPeter Pears Madwoman
1969 (four productions) Orchestra, Choir, ConductorDirector, Set DesignerFemale singerMale singer Teatro Comunale, Florence (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino) production of Maria Stuarda by Donizetti, August 25, 28, September 1, 1969 (three performances) at the Kings TheatreOrchestra, Chorus and Ballet of the Teatro Comunale, FlorenceNino SanzognoGiorgio de LulloPierluigi Pizzi designerShirley Verrett ElizabethLeyla Gencer Mary StuartAnna di Stasio AnnFranco Tagliavini LeicesterAgostino Ferrin TalbotGiulio Fioravanti CecilMario Frosini Herald Teatro Comunale, Florence (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino) production of Rigoletto by Verdi, August 26, 30, September 3, 1969 (three performances) at the Kings TheatreOrchestra, Chorus and Ballet of the Teatro Comunale, FlorenceAlberto EredeSandro SeguiPierluigi Pizzi designerRenata Scotto GildaBiancarosa Zanibelli MaddalenaAnna Falcone GiovannaGiuliana Matteini Countess CepranoRenato Cioni DukeMario Zanasi RigolettoFranco Ventriglia SparafucilePlinio Ciabassi MonteroneGiorgio Giorgetti MarulloDino Formichini Matteo BorsaMario Frosini CepranoGuerrando Rigiri Usher Teatro Comunale, Florence (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino) production of Il signor Bruschino by Rossini and Gianni Schicchi by Puccini, September 4, 6, 10, 12, 1969 (four performances) at the Kings TheatreOrchestra, Chorus and Ballet of the Teatro Comunale, FlorenceAldo CeccatoIl signor BruschinoFilippo Crivelli directorGianni Vagnetti designerGianni SchicchiTito Gobbi directorFerdinando Ghelli designerJolanda Meneguzzer SofiaAnna di Stasio MariannaMaddalena Bonifaccio LaurettaFlora Rafanelli ZitaGiuliana Matteini NellaAnna di Stasio La CescaClaudio Desderi GaudenzioRenato Capecchi Bruschino SeniorValiano Natali Bruschino JuniorGiuseppe Baratti FlorvillePaolo Pedani Commissioner of PoliceGraziano Del Vivo FilibertoTito Gobbi Gianni SchicchiUgo Benelli RinuccioDino Formichini GherandoGraziano Del Vivo Betto di SignaPlinio Ciabassi SimoneGiorgio Giorgetti MarcoAugusto Frati SpinelloccioPaolo Pedani Ser AmantioMario Frosini PinellinoValiano Natali Guccio Teatro Comunale, Florence (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino) production of Sette Canzoni by Malipiero and Il prigioniero by Dallapiccola, August 29, September 5, 11, 1969 (three performances) at the Kings TheatreOrchestra, Chorus and Ballet of the Teatro Comunale, FlorenceNino SanzognoAlessandro FersenEmanuele Luzzati designer Sette CanzoniGianni Polidori designer Il prigionieroMagda Olivero MotherClaudia Parada MotherRenato Capecchi Ballad singer/DrunkGuerrando Rigiri Inner voiceGiuseppe Baratti LoverScipio Colombo Bell ringerGiorgio Giorgetti Bell ringerScipio Colombo PrisonerMirto Picchi Jailer/Grand Inquisitor
1970 (seven productions)