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The Arts Intel Report

Dracula

Emily Adams and Chase O’Connell in Dracula at Ballet West.

Oct 20–28, 2023
50 west 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, United States

Bram Stoker’s epistolary novel Dracula was published in 1897, but its spirit world could have come from the Romantic ballet, which began in the 1830s, set afloat on the supernatural. The story of the vampire Count Dracula and his beautiful female victims is a natural for classical dance, so it’s surprising that we haven’t seen more productions on the subject. Ben Stevenson, who has demonstrated a sure hand making full-length ballets, choreographed this lavish Dracula in 1997 for the Houston Ballet, and he’s given the Count a Wili-like corps of undead vampire brides. The score consists of music by Franz Liszt, arranged by John Lanchbery. —Laura Jacobs

Photo: Beau Pearson