The Count is back for a limited engagement in Dracula, October 17 – 21 at the Capitol Theatre. BalletMet Columbus' 30th anniversary season would be incomplete without this perennial favorite by former Artistic Director David Nixon. Inspired by the Bram Stoker dare to be moved. novel, this spine-tingling ballet will seduce audiences with exhilarating mystery and drama.
The evocative imagery of Stoker's 1897 gothic horror tale is brought to life through Nixon's choreography and the haunting music of Michael Daugherty, Arvo Pärt, Sergei Rachmaninov, and Alfred Schnittke. Dracula tells the dark legend of the famous vampire and his passionate love that transcends the perceptions of life and death, man and beast. Nixon's striking retelling, set in the Victorian era, focuses on the relationship between The Count and Mina, the wife of the young Jonathan Harker, and the attraction of immortality.
Eerie atmospheric lighting designed by Alexander Nichols, extraordinary costumes by Linda Pisano and scenery by Dan Gray enhance the production's stunning visual imagery. Dracula premiered in 1999 while Nixon was Artistic Director of BalletMet and has thrilled audiences with each performance. BalletMet Artistic Director Gerard Charles says the appeal of the popular ballet lies in the story's familiarity and Nixon's innovative retelling. "It is a very dramatic and well conceived work with well known narrative," Charles said. "David perfectly captures the essence of the story and weaves his own imagination into the work to support its mystery and attraction. The ballet is such a significant piece of BalletMet's repertoire and history, it is a must to showcase in our 30th anniversary season." Due to some adult content, Dracula is recommended for mature audiences.
DAVID NIXON, CHOREOGRAPHER
David Nixon's career began at the National Ballet of Canada. In 1985 he joined the DeutscheOpera Ballet in Berlin as principal dancer and won the 1987 Critics Award for Best MalePerformance. Mr. Nixon left for principal guest artist positions with National Ballet of Canada, BayerischesStaatsballett Munich and Royal Winnipeg Ballet before returning to DeutscheOpera Ballet in 1994 as first ballet master. Mr. Nixon became BalletMet's Artistic Director in 1994. During his six year tenure he added 16 world and 15 Company premieres to the repertoire, including his own full-length productions of The Nutcracker, Dangerous Liaisons, Butterfly, Beauty and the Beast, Carmen, Romeo & Juliet, Swan Lake, Dracula and A Midsummer Night's Dream. He left BalletMet in 2001 to become Artistic Director of Northern Ballet Theatre in England and was voted Director of the Year by Dance Europe Magazine in 2003 and 2006.
COMPANY DANCERS
Dracula will feature all 28 of BalletMet's professional Company dancers and its six trainees. Starring as The Count are Jimmy Orrante, who originated the title role in Nixon's ballet, and Jackson Prescott Sarver. -- www.balletmet.org
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