Dracula

The truths, the legend, the myths, and the mystic of Prince Dracula revealed right in time for Halloween. The howling of the wolves will keep you company, as you enjoy traveling across time, right into the arms of Dracula, the betrayals, the fights and his passionate love nights. Whether you like history, plan for a unique Halloween or love to watch dancing, flood your senses and join us!

This performance is part of the Theater Series, Chiara Ajkun’s Original Art.

Choreography & Libretto: Chiara Ajkun

Music (in alphabetical order): Arabic Ottoman Folk Music of Aleppo, Luca Antonini, Ivan Bertolla, Eric Buffat, CVrtoon, Francesco De Leonardis, Guido Gavazzi, Philip Glass, Jesper Kyd, John Lunn & Eivør, Fabrizio Martini, Ennio Morricone, Eric Neveux, and Lindsey Stirling.

Performing Company: Ajkun Ballet Theatre | www.ajkunbt.org

No intermission. Attendees must have a ticket. No sales at the door.

For Inquiries about the show, please email ajkun@aol.com or call + 1 (347) 346-9951.

Proceeds benefit "Creativity Matters!" supporting the creation of Chiara Ajkun’s original art.

Synopsis: the truths, the legend, the myths, and the magic inspired Chiara Ajkun to create the original Dracula ballet, a realistic story of Prince Vlad Dracul III, son of the dragon, his wife Mina, and his enemy, Sultan Mehmet II The Conqueror. Minimalist décor highlights Chiara’s ballets where centerstage are the dancers’ movements and emotions, and the music.

Fifteen Century, Walachia. Dracula ‘s salah (Islamic prayer) is disrupted by the sudden evocation of his Devşirme captivity. His struggle over divided loyalties is over, and Vlad will aggress against the Ottomans. Entrusting his home to the wolves, Dracula has to head off to the battlefield. Dracula’s wife, Mina, is welcoming a new chambermaid when Vlad comes to bid farewell. The Maid is an Ottoman spy. The armies clash, and Dracula must face Sultan Mehmet to stop the conquest of the Balkans. The attack leaves Mehmet wounded and Dracula, defeated, retreats. The Omen of an Ottoman soldier is pressing Mehmet to negotiate. Dracula surprises Mina in her chamber, and their love ignites a fire of passion, laughter, and dreams of conquest. The Envoy, led by the Sultan and the Emir, comes to negotiate. Dracula is growing wary of the Maid and forces the Emir to expose her. Negotiations are abruptly interrupted by Mina’s affliction. Certain that Mina’s death has been caused by the Emir’s dealings, Dracula spirals into a wrath and kills the Envoy. The legend carries on.

Chiara Ajkun’s Original Art: Chiara Ajkun’s Original Art is the signature repertory of the Ajkun Ballet Theatre and has earned the Ajkun Ballet Company worldwide reputation. Chiara’s choreography is spectacular, dynamic, elegant and expressive. Her knowledge of acting, music, psychology and biomechanics combined with her love for philosophy and history and her live experiences as a principal dancer come together in her ballets. Chiara has the greatest respect for classical ballet, but her choreography is free from the constrains of its structured movements. Chiara believes ballets to be more enjoyable in a concise form – hence her one-act shows with minimalist scenery. Centerstage are movements and feelings of the protagonists of the stories she often writes the libretto for. Exquisite music carefully selected is the soundtrack of Chiara’s original art. Dracula’s World Premiere: October 26, 2016 - Lincoln Center, New York, New York. Original Cast: Klevis Tafaj (Dracula), Momoko Burbine (Mina), Welton Lucena (Mehmet), Su Han (Maid), Corey D Stern (Emir).

Chiara Ajkun is an Italian American choreographer, formerly a principal ballet dancer, and the artistic director of the Ajkun Ballet Theatre. Chiara has restaged classical ballets and created her original choreography for preeminent companies in Australia, Europe, North and South America and for movies produced by ABC, BBC, FOX, RAI national televisions. Her first full-length ballet, Carmen, commissioned by the Malta Opera House in 1991, earned Chiara the praise of “superb choreographer” from London Times critic Maria Ghirlando. In her choreographic career, Chiara originated over 50 new ballets and received commendations by the Secretary of State of the United States of America Hilary Rodham Clinton, Awards by the Prime Minister of Malta, The London Times, Fiuggi Europa Platea, Manfredonia Awards, and by the Performing And Visual Arts Education, PAVE. Chiara was appointed “Dame Grand Cross” by Grand Master H.R.H. Prince Humbert Ferdinando the Third: “This honor is awarded to Dr. Chiara Ajkun for her invaluable contribution to the Arts. Let Dr. Ajkun’s work be of inspiration for the global community”.

Historic events and legends surround Prince Vladimir Dracul III (1431-1476) of Transylvania. Before becoming Voivode (prince) of Walachia, Vlad III was born into a noble family and, following his father’s appointment in the Order of Dragons, nicknamed Dracula (son of dragon). Dracula was raised by the Ottoman court to be a military strategic leader and a skilled warrior but held enmity for the Ottomans. A lifelong series of campaigns to regain his father’s seat are background for Dracula’s atrocities. Dracula attempted to assassinate Sultan Mehmed The Conqueror to deter the pursuit by The Ottomans. Dracula ‘s wife, whose name is not recorded, died during Mehmed siege of the castle. It is believed that Dracula was killed in battle near Bucharest.

The legacy and legend of Dracula is mostly the result of tales passed down for generations since the XIV century. Although Dracula was certainly an exceptionally cruel ruler, Romanian tales depict him as a fiercely honest prince who defended his people from foreign aggression and a champion of the common man against the oppression of the boyars. There are tales on foreign envoys (Florentine or Ottomans) brutally killed at dinner for some real or imagined insult, on Dracula subduing wild wolves into his unwavering guard and omen of prophetic significance. Romanian folklore and poetry paints Dracula as "undying hero who in the moment of need will rise up and save the Romanian nation from destruction" and this may have inspired, among others Vampire’s tales, Bram Stoker's epistolary novel Dracula (1897).