For over a century, Dracula has lured audiences with its tale of desire, fear, and the eternal hunger for power. BIG Live, also known as Ballet International Gala, unleashes a new interpretation as part of its successful 2025 season, and it is an absolute thrill.
Choreographer Joel Burke has created a perfect ballet adaptation, distilling the storyline to include just the essential characters. Working alongside the dancers, who served as co-authors, and a stellar production team, the result is a mesmerising, gripping narrative ballet.
Upon arrival, the Concert Hall is awash with vampiric red lighting – setting the scene before the curtain is even drawn. BIG Live have pulled together some of the most iconic classical music for the score. Many pieces will be instantly recognisable, with the horrific Night on Bald Mountain establishing the tone from the outset.
The opening scene serves as a prologue of sorts, establishing how Count Dracula came to be. We meet the brave warrior Vlad, whose beloved wife is wrongfully killed by the Church he serves in war. This chain of events leads to Vlad the Impaler becoming Dracula, Lord of the Vampires.
Eric Luchen’s stunning set transports us to Transylvania. Dracula’s gothic castle engulfs the stage, complete with a kaleidoscope of lead lighting panels and high arched doorways. A haunting portrait of Dracula’s late wife looms over the stage, spotlit by a killer lighting design by Dan Sharp.
On opening night, our trio of leads included BIG Live Principals Ervin Zagidullin in the title role, with Joel Burke and Abbey Hansen as the soon-to-be doomed newlyweds, Jonathan and Mina. The trio are supported by four Ghosts, played by Giselle Osborne, Rose Maloney, Mia Zanardo and Emilia Bignami, and a robust Corps de Ballet. (There is a cast of alternates for some of the roles.)
The storytelling is done so well that at times, one almost forgets they are watching a ballet. It’s well worth picking up a program and taking a look over the synopsis ahead of the performance for an overview of the adapted story. (There’s also a mention in the program of what’s in store for BIG Live’s next narrative ballet – and I am incredibly jazzed!) Act One rockets along at a neat 45 minutes, while Act Two feels fully fleshed out, running for almost an hour.
Costuming can best be described as luscious, with no tutus to be seen. Instead, the candy coloured corsets of 1800s London clash with the ragged white skirts of the undead. Mina’s floaty dress is replicated both in life and in death, an excellent touch. And when Dracula first unfurls his bat wings, it is an iconic moment.
It’s the dancing that true ballet lovers have come to see, and it is incredible. There’s a trust and easy chemistry between the three leads which can only come from working closely together over an extended period.
I found it very hard to take my eyes off Abbey Hansen as Mina. Her dancing alongside both Burke and Zagidullin appears so effortless. It’s easy to forget the skill involved behind such exhilarating lifts and partner work. Burke and Zagidullin dazzle with their excellent leaps and spins. At one point, their leaps appear to mirror each other.
An Act One highlight is the pas de deux between Hansen and Burke as Mina and Jonathan when they first arrive at the castle. Set to Debussy’s Clair de Lune, it’s a truly beautiful sequence.
The four Ghosts are the perfect undead army, with pointe work formations so smooth, it feels like they are actually floating. I particularly loved seeing each ghost lined up under their own striking white spotlight. The Corps de Ballet are an impressive group of dancers, shining in Act Two with their extended celebration scene.
The dark subject matter of Dracula is handled with grace and just the right amount of drama, with this adaptation feeling almost Shakespearean in the way the tragic story unfolds.
Perhaps the most surprising element on opening night was the audience itself. This was no typical ballet crowd. Dracula has drawn people beyond the usual circle, proving that some stories can break through boundaries. And that is exactly what ballet in 2025 needs.
With rich storytelling, evocative design, and breathtaking performances, Dracula proves that ballet can be both timeless and thrillingly contemporary. BIG Live has crafted a production that will seduce newcomers and satisfy seasoned ballet lovers. It’s a dark feast for the senses and a reminder that some stories, like Dracula himself, will never die.
Dracula is presented by BIG Live runs to 6 September in Brisbane and then tours Australia and New Zealand. See full dates below.
Tickets available at the links below.
Website: https://www.bigliveco.com/dracula
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/balletinternationalgala/
Photo credits: Braeden O’Connor
2025 Tour Dates
Brisbane – Concert Hall, QPAC 3-6 September Tickets
Sydney – State Theatre, 11–12 September Tickets
Newcastle – Civic Theatre, 17-21 September Tickets
Melbourne – Hamer Hall, 27-29 September Tickets
Christchurch – Isaac Theatre Royal, 4-5 October Tickets
Auckland – Civic Theatre, 10–11 October Tickets
Canberra – Canberra Theatre Centre, 23-24 October Tickets
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3 responses to “Review: Dracula The Ballet Is Love At First Bite”
Absolutely love the great performance of Dracula ballet, music, costume, decor
and dancers……
I loved, loved, loved this ballet experience. This was exactly what I was hoping for. It was mesmerizing and spectacular.
I wish there was somewhere I could give it five stars
Disappointing show in Dunedin. Dancers lovely, costumes great and set design good. Let down by poor production. Lighting design was terrible and dancers were often unlit meaning about half the time you couldn’t see what was going on. I understand atmospheric lighting but you still need to be able to see the production. First half music was too loud and there was reverb and distortion. Second half they fixed this. Story baffling. All the problems meant it was hard to get into it and it was not at all enjoyable for me.