If your idea of ballet still begins and ends with swans, tutus and everyone looking far too graceful for human biology, Dracula: Ballet At Its Darkest might be here to change the mood a little.
Fresh from a completely sold-out season in London’s West End and blockbuster runs across Australia and New Zealand, BIG Live’s critically acclaimed production will make its Singapore debut at Esplanade Theatre from 15 to 19 July 2026.
And no, this isn’t your polite, softly lit ballet evening. This is Bram Stoker’s immortal tale rebuilt through shadow, sound and movement, diving straight into desire, obsession, grief and the destructive power of love. Very date night, if you and your date share the same My Chemical Romance playlists and the love for all things macabre and Halloween-y.
No Sparkles, Just Shadows
Choreographed by Joel Burke, Artistic Director, Choreographer and Co-founder of BIG Live, Dracula: Ballet At Its Darkest strips the classic vampire story back to its rawest parts. The production opens on a blood-soaked 17th-century battlefield, where Vlad curses his faith and sells his soul to darkness after the death of his wife.
Two centuries later, newlyweds Jonathan and Mina arrive at his castle, and from there, restraint does what restraint tends to do in vampire stories: it unravels very quickly.
The show is set within a world of gothic grandeur by award-winning CTS Design, with a powerful score led by Emmy Award-winning composer Jason Fernandez. The result is meant to feel cinematic, theatrical and intense, while still grounded in classical ballet technique.
Ballet For The Dark Romantics
What makes this production interesting is how it positions ballet beyond refinement and beauty. As Burke puts it, ballet can also express brutality, fear, desire and humanity, making Dracula a pretty fitting playground.
For seasoned arts audiences, this is a chance to catch a major international production during its 2026–2027 global tour, right here in Singapore. And for newcomers to the scene, it might be one of the more accessible entry points into ballet especially if dark romance, gothic storytelling and cinematic theatre already has you booking the best seats in the house.
Dracula: Ballet At Its Darkest Details
🗓️ Date: 15 to 19 July 2026
📍 Venue: Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981
🎟️ Tickets: S$69 to S$185
⏰ Show Timings:
- Wednesday, 15 July to Friday, 17 July: 8pm
- Saturday, 18 July: 3pm and 8pm
- Sunday, 19 July: 2pm
Tickets are now available via SISTIC. For more information, visit the official Esplanade event page or follow BIG Live for updates on Dracula: Ballet At Its Darkest and its ongoing global tour.
Visuals Courtesy of BIG Live.
