EDINBURGH’S Royal Military Tattoo has set new records with its latest tour to Australia.
The most consistently successful annual show in Scotland wowed the Australian audience with 2.5 million people either attending the show or watching on television or video.
Hailed as the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s most successful international venture to date, the production in Melbourne featured a full size replica of Edinburgh Castle, as well as the Massed Pipes and Drums and performers from around the world,
More than 1,200 performers took part in the five-night sell-out tour in February at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, including Australian military and police bands as well as musicians from the UK, Fiji, Tonga, Norway, Switzerland and New Zealand.
The Tattoo attracted a TV audience of 1.2 million in addition to the 155,000 ticket sales, 1.1 million online streams and more than 15,000 DVD sales in its first week of release.
In over six and a half decades, the Tattoo’s unique show has been presented abroad on only three occasions, with Sydney hosting performances in 2005 and 2010.
The producers consider that the Melbourne performances were among the most spectacular ever staged.
The Tattoo in Scotland provides significant funding for benevolent organisations and charities, and some of the proceeds from the Melbourne performances will assist current and former serving defence personnel and their families in Australia, with part of the funds raised from ticket sales being dispersed to nominated Australian charities.
The Australian Defence Force’s (ADF’s) own specially-formed pipes and drums were one of the big hits in Melbourne, drawing from all three Services across Australia.
The Tattoo also commemorated the service of the Australian forces in the First World War, providing a timely reminder of the magnitude of the war’s effects on Australia and the contributions and sacrifices made by Australians as the nation commemorates the centenary of the Anzac forces.
The director of the Combined Military Bands of the ADF, Lieutenant Commander Steven Stanke, said the band enjoyed playing music that had a central place in ADF memory.
“These melodies have meant so much to our members serving in conflict and on peace keeping duties during the past century of service,” said Lt Cdr Stanke.
“It was an honour to perform them for the internationally renowned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.”
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