State Street Ballet Premieres New Dracula Production
Choreographer Nicolas Blanc and the Kronos Quartet bring a dark, live-scored adaptation to the Granada Theater stage.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Dance
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The State Street Ballet has debuted its latest production, Dracula, A Dark Shadow, in Santa Barbara. The performance features choreography by Nicolas Blanc and a live musical score performed by the Kronos Quartet.
Why it matters
The production aims to reach non-traditional audiences by blending classical dance with the haunting composition originally written for the 1931 film. Choreographer Nicolas Blanc developed the piece to provide a darker, more atmospheric ballet experience.
The production features music composed in 1998 for the 1931 classic film Dracula. Performances at the Granada Theater are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start on Friday and a 2 p.m. start on Saturday.
The players
State Street Ballet
This is a prominent dance company based in Santa Barbara that produces professional ballet performances.
Nicolas Blanc
He is a French choreographer known for creating expressive and dark dance adaptations.
Kronos Quartet
This Grammy-winning string quartet is internationally recognized for performing contemporary classical music and experimental scores.
Tigran Sargsyan
He is a professional dancer performing the lead role of Dracula in this production.
The details
The performance includes the Kronos Quartet playing the score from a skybox, while lead dancer Tigran Sargsyan conveys vampiric traits through specific facial expressions. The choreography is designed to condense Bram Stoker's original narrative to align with the musical composition.
Timeline
1998 was the year the musical score was originally composed.
October 31, 2026 is the date of the second performance.
Industry Dynamics
This production capitalizes on the enduring popularity of the 1931 Dracula film by reimagining it for a modern stage audience. It reflects a growing trend in the performing arts to bridge cinematic history with live musical and dance performance.
Attendees can catch the production at the Granada Theater during the scheduled weekend time slots. Tickets are available for those looking to see the live musical accompaniment by the Kronos Quartet.
The takeaway
The production demonstrates how legacy scores can be repurposed to create entirely new theatrical experiences for contemporary audiences. Viewers can appreciate the contrast between the traditional ballet form and the modern, experimental nature of the live musical accompaniment.
Further reading
Discover more about local performances by visiting the Dance section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KCLU.
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