Cape Town City Ballet will present a full-length adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula at Artscape from Friday 13 March to Sunday 29 March, bringing David Nixon’s acclaimed gothic ballet to local audiences.
Nixon, who served as interim artistic director of Cape Town City Ballet in 2023, returns to direct this production featuring music by Alfred Schnittke, Arvo Pärt, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Michael Daugherty.
The choreographer originally created Dracula in 1999 for BalletMet, and it has since become one of his most celebrated narrative ballets.
The production follows the classic vampire tale set in Victorian England, where young solicitor Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania for Count Dracula’s real estate dealings in London. What begins as a business transaction unfolds into a supernatural thriller featuring female vampires and a battle between good and evil.
Choreography
Nixon handles set, stage and costume design alongside direction, working with local lighting designer Faheem Bardien. The British Theatre Guide previously described Nixon’s choreography as “exquisite” and praised its ability to capture the romantic fascination between characters.
“It’s great to be back with CTCB for this season of Dracula,” said Nixon. “My time in Cape Town was short but I fell in love with the company and am excited to be once again working with the dancers.”
The ballet gained renewed international attention following Northern Ballet’s 2019 production, which was filmed for cinema screenings across Europe and later broadcast on BBC Four.
Tracy Li, artistic manager of CTCB, said the production allows dancers “to explore both raw physicality and intense storytelling.”
The production is rated PG12. Tickets range from R180 to R450.
Book at Webtickets or the Artscape box office on 021 421 7695.
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