Seeing Michael Pink’s “Dracula” is like watching a silent horror film with live orchestra accompaniment.
But instead of images of Max Schreck flickering across a screen, we get the real Davit Hovhannisyan ominously descending a staircase or slithering across the stage into a cloud of smoke.
Milwaukee Ballet opened a new production of director-choreographer Pink’s popular story ballet, adapted from Bram Stoker’s novel, at the Marcus Performing Arts Center Thursday evening.
It’s Hovhannisyan’s final role before retiring as a dancer. It’s challenging to generalize about the work of someone who’s performed many leading roles over two decades. But whenever Milwaukee Ballet has needed a man to portray a powerful or dangerous character, Hovhannisyan has been there.
His Dracula has both those qualities, so it’s easy to understand why he has called the vampire his favorite role here.
His performance reminds us that Dracula’s superpower is mesmerizing people, as he entrances Harker (Randy Crespo), free-spirited Lucy (Marize Fumero) and Mina (Lahna Vanderbush) in turn.
Philip Feeney’s impressive score and David Grill’s mood-alerting lighting are co-stars in the creation of this ominous spectacle. Matthew Kasper conducts the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra in the music, which rises at times to Bernard Herrmann intensity, particularly in the Transylvanian scenes. Singers from the Florentine Opera Chorus contribute eerie vocalizing that enhances the spookiness.
Garrett Glassman totally commits to the role of Renfield, the deranged, insect-eating patient who is important in moving the story along. Given the time he spends writhing on the floor, Glassman’s going to need both a shower and a whirlpool after these performances.
Pink laces this “Dracula” with touches of humor, like the moments when Harker wrestles with an oppressively heavy trunk, only for one of the undead to hoist it up like it’s made of balsa wood.
Fans of big dance scenes will enjoy several Transylvanian romps and a Grand Hotel party where Lucy teases and flirts with her suitors.
If you go
Milwaukee Ballet performs “Dracula” through Oct. 29 at the Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, 929 N. Water St. Davit Hovhannisyan’s final scheduled performance in the title role is at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28. For tickets, visit milwaukeeballet.org or call (414) 902-2103.
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