DRACULA

The Atlanta Ballet doesn't put on Dracula every year, so it is always a treat to see this, my favorite among their productions--This wonderful interpretation is dark and sensual and hyper-theatrical--lots of moody smoke and anguish and blood and lust with a cool wolf carcas (and a child sacrifice!)--I attended the night of Friday the 13th at the new venue for the ballet, The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, a great match for the company--Just before the show, a handsome and earnest young guy proposed to his fiance in front of the entire theatre--Of course everyone was delighted--

The gifted Jonah Hooper (one of the tallest of the principle dancers)was an imposing and mysterious Dracula, his style both sinuous and athletic--He totally inhabited the role, putting his interpretation and the rich red robes of the charactor to perfect use--After the performance, patrons went upstairs for a cocktail reception with the dancers--it was a great evening with great art--

I do love ballet (like Edward Gorey--but I don't go as religiously he did in New York), and we have one of the better companies in the country here in Atlanta--I encourage everyone to go see one of the performances of the Atlanta Ballet--it's a treat and nourishes the soul--yes, I am serious!--

Firebird, a classic, is coming up March 26-28th, and in April-Don Quixote!--