Baltimore to Host One‑Night Edgar Allan Poe Ballet

Chicago‑based Ballet 5:8 will present a single performance of “The Curious Life of Edgar Allan Poe” at Baltimore’s historic Hippodrome Theatre on Saturday, Oct 3 at 5 p.m. The 90‑minute ballet weaves scenes inspired by Poe’s most famous works—including “The Raven,” “The Tell‑Tale Heart,” “Annabel Lee” and “The Masque of the Red Death”—into a dramatized portrait of the writer’s life. Choreographers Julianna Rubio Slager (artistic director of Ballet 5:8) and Glorielle Niedfeldt combine neo‑classical ballet, African‑diaspora movement traditions, spoken word and immersive theatrical imagery.

The production is part of the eighth annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards and is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the United States’ 250th‑anniversary commemoration. Ticket prices range from $40 to $110 and are available online via the Hippodrome website, Ticketmaster, or in person at the box office. In remarks, Slager said bringing the work to Baltimore “feels like bringing the work home,” while Poe scholar Dr. Harry Lee Poe praised the ballet’s ability to capture his relative’s life.