Dracula
Where: McPherson Playhouse
When: Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $19.50 to $60. Available at balletvictoria.ca or 250-386-6121
Yes, Dracula will bite. But he won’t wear the traditional cape.
So says Ballet Victoria artistic director Paul Destrooper, who has choreographed a new full-length ballet, Dracula, for his 12-dancer troupe.
Principal dancer Matthew Cluff, playing Dracula, will sport a bare-chested look and Middle-Eastern-style harem pants, Destrooper said.
The two-act ballet features a diverse soundtrack including the song Chandelier by pop singer Sia, and music from the superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy and Elgar’s Cello Concerto.
“I draw on music from different generations, different genres and styles,” Destrooper said.
While the movement is classically based, the Dracula ballet incorporates elements of contemporary dance. To create the storyline, Destrooper turned to Bram Stoker’s 1897 horror novel Dracula, as well as the story of Vlad the Impaler. Rather than focusing on the traditional story’s grisly aspects, the Dracula ballet emphasizes the inherent sensuality of the story.
“I like suggesting, rather than being physically blatant ... but there are a few bites,” Destrooper said, adding the piece is suitable for young audiences, as well as adults.
Dracula had its première in Port Angeles this month. After the Victoria run, it will tour to North Vancouver, Powell River, Vernon and Duncan’s Cowichan Theatre on Nov. 28.
