Category: Symphony

Not Just a Ballet, But a Cultural Event

A Dance Review & Cultural Excursion

By: The Richmond Ballet with the Richmond Symphony

At: Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre, 600 E. Grace St., RVA 23219

Performances: February 16-18, 2024

Ticket Prices: $25 – $130

Info: (804) 344-0906, etix.com, or richmondballet.com

THE PROGRAM

DRACULA

Choreography by Ben Stevenson, O.B.E.*

Music by Franz Liszt, arranged by John Lanchbery

Staging by Dominic Walsh

Scenery Design by Thoms Boyd

Costume Design by Judanna Lynn

Original Lighting Design by Timothy Hunter

Lighting Supervisor: Christina R . Gianelli

Guest Piano Soloist: Douglas-Jayd Burn

Flying by Foy

World Premiere: March 13, 1997, Houston Ballet, Worthan Center, Houston, TX

Richmond Ballet Premiere: February 16, 2024, Dominion Energy Center, Richmond, VA

Costumes and Scenery courtesy of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

*OBE = Officer of the Order of the British Empire: a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, among other fields

The Cultural Excursion

I’d been looking forward to seeing the Richmond Ballet’s premiere of DRACULA for months. (See my preview for Richmond Magazine: https://richmondmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/richmond-events/richmond-ballet-dracula/) But even though I had read the press release and had obtained a quote from Associate Artistic Director Ma Cong about the ballet’s high production values and dramatic choreography, I was not prepared for what I saw – both onstage and offstage – when I arrived at the Dominion Energy Center for the final performance of the three day run. I am so glad I got to witness this event with my own eyes and ears. Ben Stevenson’s choreography was every bit as dramatic as promised. The set resembled a towering gothic fairytale. The music lured you in, and there was even a red-colored, vampire themed drink available at the bar. But more on the actual ballet after this brief detour. [You may avoid the detour by skipping the next three paragraphs.]

First, the event started even before I got inside the theatre. While searching for parking, and then walking to the Dominion Energy Center, I noticed a number of people who were clearly headed to see Dracula. There was a veritable fashion show of goth gear, black lace, pale foundation and black eyeliner. The number of capes – in black and red – was astounding. A car parked across from mine in the parking deck even bore a license plate with some variation of the word “vampire.” All of this made me wonder, does  Richmond have a vampire community? I know about the theatre community, the dance community, the spoken word community, even the drag community and the burlesque community – but a vampire community?

That brings us to the second point. Much to my surprise, a cursory online search turned up several articles on an urban legend known as The Richmond Vampire, also known as The Hollywood Vampire. (Am I the last to know?) There is a story, dating back to the 1920s, of a vampire entombed in Hollywood Cemetery, near Oregon Hill. The legend is linked to the very real and verified collapse of a railway tunnel in Church Hill, where the train engine, flatcars, and bodies of laborers remain to this day.

Another part of the legend identifies the Richmond Vampire as one W. W. Pool, whose tomb is located in Hollywood Cemetery, as a vampire who was run out of England in the 1800s. And then, my husband reminded me of someone we know who, a few years ago, was said to have been “studying” to become a vampire. While none of this is directly related to the ballet, it does explain some of the things I saw, and some of the cultural aspects that were attached to the theatrical experience. One final note before going on to my third and final point – a discussion of the actual ballet – vampires, or vampire allies, seem to be quite friendly.

The Review

Finally, there was the ballet itself – a three act production (The Crypt, The Village, The Bedroom) running approximately two and a half hours, including two intermissions. Make no mistake, Dracula is, indeed, a ballet in the traditional sense. There is plenty of classical technique, including pointe work, and partnering. The second act, set in an Eastern European village, includes the familiar characters (an innkeeper, a matriarch, a pair of innocent young lovers) and peasant costumes and folk dances that populate many story ballets.

Dracula is also quite different from most classic ballets. The women of the corps who dance the roles of Dracula’s brides may initially remind you of the Willis in Giselle. They have been tasked with dancing gracefully and on pointe while carrying their arms stiffly in front of them, affecting the posture of the ”undead.” To do this while maintaining flexibility and gracefulness throughout the rest of the body must have been a challenge. There are flying dancers in several scenes (Anne Sydney Heatherington and Valerie Tellman-Henning were credited in the program, but I thought there was a third as well) and some impressive pyrotechnics near the end when Dracula is finally hunted down and destroyed by Frederick, Svetlana’s innkeeper father (Gabor Szigeti), and the village Priest (Jack Miller) – and while these effects proved to be delightful for adults and children alike, there were many themes that dealt  with morality and sexuality that were not recommended for children under the age of 8.

For instance, Dracula’s henchman, Renfield (danced by Zacchaeus Page for the final performance) procures young women for his master. Come to think of it, Renfield’s status is little more than that of an indentured servant or slave, so there’s that issue of oppression as well. Dracula’s dozen wives would constitute polygamy by today’s standards, but then there is also the issue of them aiding and abetting the procuring of “fresh blood” which can only be obtained by kidnapping more women. If this were a TV show, I’m sure Capt. Olivia Bensen would be called in because this sounds like a case for “Law & Order: SVU.”

Irish author Bram Stoker published the gothic horror novel Dracula in 1897. British-born choreographer Ben Stevenson (who spent 27 years as artistic director of the Houston Ballet) created the masterful Dracula,the ballet, to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of Stoker’s masterpiece. (Stoker and Stevenson even share the same initials.) Given the differences in media, the two vampire tales are quite distinct, yet recognizably related.

Richmond Ballet rehearsed two complete casts for Dracula. Sunday evening, the lascivious vampire was danced by Christian Renforth, his newest bride Flora by Izabella Tokev, his henchman Renfield by Zacchaeus Page, and Svetlana, the innocent young villager on whom Dracula has cast his eye as his next prize, by Eri Nishihara. Aleksey Babayev danced the role of Svetlana’s beloved Frederick and the two of them had a wonderful chance to shine in a celebratory dance scene. After drinking too much, rather than losing his composure, Frederick demonstrated a stunning virtuosity, and Svetlana temporarily lost her shyness – turning not on her toes but on her heels.

Dracula’s cape is both a fashion statement and a work of art in blood red and black with tapestry-like designs. The brides’ white dresses, pale makeup and pale locks set a new standard for “undead” beauty. The set for Acts I and III (The Crypt and The Bedroom) are majestic and spooky, in contrast to the once-upon-a-time innocence The Village set of Act II. Last but not least, I must mention the dreadful carriage that Renfield uses to procure Dracula’s new brides. Drawn by two horses (Tekhylon Armour and Darius Mealy), the dark and ragged carriage with a hint of smoke at the top shouts “stranger danger” but even Svetlana’s strongest kicks and screams are no match for the evil that lies within.

The Richmond Symphony, under the direction of Erin Freeman, with guest pianist Douglas-Jayd Burn played Franz Liszt’s haunting and dramatic score arranged by John Lanchbery specifically for Stevenson’s ballet. Dracula is truly a collaboration of elements: the choreography, the music, the story, the set, the costumes all work together to create theatre magic.

The Richmond Ballet offered this production of Dracula the weekend after Valentine’s Day. I have often complained that Romeo and Juliet was not my idea of a proper Valentine’s offering, since they both end up dead. Cinderella has been a happier alternative. Dracula has many of the elements – both pros and cons – of other romantic ballets, but the addition of a vampire somehow makes it sooooo much more satisfying…

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself, and occasionally performs.