Get ready, Cape Town – this autumn, the city’s stage is about to get a serious thrill. Cape Town City Ballet is bringing David Nixon’s electrifying full-length adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Artscape from 13–29 March 2026.
Set to a dramatic soundtrack featuring Alfred Schnittke, Arvo Pärt, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Michael Daugherty, Dracula first debuted in 1999 and has since become one of Nixon’s most celebrated narrative ballets. Known for its cinematic Gothic vibe, daring choreography, and theatrical flair, this production is getting a Cape Town makeover with Nixon himself at the helm – directing, designing the sets, costumes, and stage, and working alongside local lighting genius Faheem Bardien.
The story? Iconic. Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel introduced the world to Count Dracula and the vampire myths we still love today. On stage, follow Jonathan Harker, a young solicitor sent to Transylvania, as Dracula plots his sinister move to Victorian London. Think female vampires, shadowy suspense, and a dramatic showdown between good and evil – all heightened by a rich, modern Gothic soundtrack and choreography praised as “exquisite… powerfully capturing the burgeoning romantic fascination between the two characters” (British Theatre Guide).
David Nixon, who served as interim Artistic Director of Cape Town City Ballet in 2023, says: “It’s amazing to be back with CTCB for this season of Dracula. I fell in love with the company and can’t wait to see our dancers bring this story to life.”
After Northern Ballet’s 2019 cinematic revival put Dracula back on the global map, Cape Town audiences are in for a rare treat: a ballet that’s as thrilling as it is beautiful, blending raw physicality with storytelling that grips from the first note.
Tickets: R180–R450 via Webtickets or the Artscape box office: 021 421 7695.