Following sold-out seasons in London’s West End and the United States, and a record-breaking tour across Australia and New Zealand in 2025, BIG Live’s critically acclaimed Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest will return home to Australia with performances in Melbourne and Sydney from September.
Choreographed by BIG Live Artistic Director and Co-founder Joel Burke, Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest is a bold, cinematic reimagining of Bram Stoker’s gothic classic – a visceral exploration of forbidden love, grief, obsession, immortality and sacrifice.
Set within a world of gothic grandeur created by award-winning CTS Design, Dracula is driven by a powerful score led by Emmy Award-winning composer Jason Fernandez and featuring masterpieces by Bach, Rachmaninov, Mozart, Liszt, Mussorgsky, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns and Debussy.
The production features a powerhouse cast of artists with experience at the Mariinsky Theatre, English National Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, The Australian Ballet, Queensland Ballet and other leading companies.
BIG Live principals Ervin Zagidullin and Abbey Hansen perform as Dracula and Mina Harker, with internationally renowned guest artist Adamzhan Bakhtiyar appearing at selected performances.
For Artistic Director and Co-founder Joel Burke, the Australian seasons are also a creative homecoming for a production developed in Brisbane and now established on major international stages.
“Dracula was created in Brisbane with the belief that ballet can deliver the same emotional intensity, scale and excitement as any major theatrical production,” says Burke.
“We wanted to create something cinematic, immediate and unapologetically theatrical – an experience that could connect with devoted ballet audiences while also bringing people into the theatre who may never previously have considered seeing a ballet.”
“To see an Australian-created production welcomed by audiences in London, the United States and Asia, and now returning for these major seasons at home, is enormously rewarding,” says Burke.
In Melbourne, the season also marks BIG Live’s return to Her Majesty’s Theatre during the venue’s 140th anniversary year.
“In our 140th year of proudly entertaining Melbourne audiences, Her Majesty’s Theatre is delighted to welcome BIG Live back to our stage with Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest,” said Quan Tu, Chief Operating Officer, Her Majesty’s Theatre.
“Its bold storytelling, exceptional artists and impressive theatrical scale make it a particularly exciting production to welcome back to Melbourne.”
Delivering breathtaking choreography, hauntingly beautiful music and stunning production design, BIG Live’s Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest emerges as an undeniable must-see for ballet lovers and thrill seekers.
Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest will play at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre from 10 – 19 September and then 1 – 25 October 2026.
Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest will play at Sydney’s State Theatre from 22 – 27 September and Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from 7 – 29 November 2026.
Image: Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest (supplied)