CinemaLive is partnering with Northern Ballet to broadcast its production of Dracula live from Leeds Playhouse into around 300 cinemas across the UK and Ireland for one night only on Halloween, 31 October 2019.
Created and choreographed by Northern Ballet’s artistic director, David Nixon OBE, who has also designed the costumes, this production is set to music by Alfred Schnittke, Sergei Rachmaninov, Arvo Pärt and Michael Daugherty, with set design by Ali Allen’s and lighting design by Tim Mitchell’s.
Nixon said, “Bram Stoker’s Dracula continues to have an enduring allure, drawing people in more than a century after the novel was first published in 1897. It explores the ends to which one might go to live forever rather than face the unknown consequences of death and how far we are prepared to allow the bonds of friendship and love to take us. These were the questions that fascinated me when I first approached the creation of this ballet.
"While Dracula is often viewed as pure evil, the thought that vampires can also love and even moderate their behaviour has become a common theme. I propose the question that love can dominate us no matter who or what we are and dictate our destiny. All creatures need to be loved and the love that Dracula shares with Mina transcends the boundaries of good and evil.
“The fact that my production of Dracula is going to be Northern Ballet’s first live cinema broadcast, and on Halloween as well, is very exciting. This year was our first time presenting our work in cinemas and the feedback we have received has been phenomenal so far. To be able to reach thousands more people with our productions than reached on our live tour is an incredible opportunity and important to enable as many people as possible to engage with and develop a passion for our art form. A visit to the cinema to see Dracula gives audiences the chance to try something new, discover how ballet can tell stories in unexpected ways, and most importantly, to watch a suitable show for Halloween.”