Add category
Dracula and The First Frost Foregone
I cut all my dahlia flowers last night, some by flashlight after it got dark. But the predicted first frost did not happen. As usual, I cut the flowers to leave as many buds behind as possible. Weather will be warmer and wetting over the next few days so the garden will continue for a while longer and those buds may have time to bloom. Fall frosts often accompany the full moon, and now that the moon is on the wane, nights will be warmer. After the tops of tropicals such as cannas and dahlias do blacken from frost, you have a couple of weeks before you have to dig up the tubers from the soil if you want to store them over the winter.
Dracula is one character of legend who is not affected by frost (or cold). The ballet by the same name will be performed tonight and tomorrow at spooky Belcourt Castle in Newport, and there could not be a more appropriate venue. I first saw The Island Moving Company perform last month in the amazing classical Newport garden of Ronald Flemming. Now the troop has moved down famous Bellevue Avenue a short ways. Dracula was created to fit the Gothic mansion, and progresses through its library, gallery and two ballrooms with audience in tow. Just the perfect thing for Halloween (though a week early).
The company also has another "site specific" ballet scheduled for another Bellevue Aveune mansion: "The Nut Cracker," at Rosecliff Mansion Nov. 26-Dec. 3.
For more information on "site specific" performances visit www.islandmovingco.org.
Tickets for Dracula and Nutcracker are now on sale now at Arttix.
Times and prices for Dracula:
Sat, October 23 ~ 4:00 p.m. ~ $85
Sat, October 23 ~ 8:00 p.m. ~ $85
Sun, October 24 ~ 2:00 p.m. ~ $85
Sun, October 24 ~ 6:00 p.m. ~ $85
Carol Stocker has been writing about gardening for the Boston Globe for 30 years. She has won the top newspaper writing award of the Garden Writer's Association of American three times. Her newest book is "The Boston Globe Illustrated New England Gardening Almanac."
