THE GREAT GATSBY: A JAZZ BALLET ODYSSEY Makes International Debut in Singapore

Singapore — Following back-to-back sold-out seasons at Singapore’s Esplanade Theatre with Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest and The Nutcracker over the past eight months, BIG Live returns with The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey, running from 27 January to 4 February 2027.

The Singapore season marks the first international stop for The Great Gatsby, following sold-out seasons in Sydney and Melbourne and a continuing tour across Australia, ahead of further international performances planned across the United Kingdom and the United States later in 2027. 

Reimagining F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel through ballet, tap and jazz, the production brings Gatsby’s world of glamour, desire and obsession to the stage in a contemporary theatrical retelling driven by movement, music and psychological intensity.

With two sold-out Esplanade seasons already under its belt, BIG Live’s return to Singapore marks another major milestone for the company as it takes The Great Gatsby beyond Australia for the first time.

Directed and choreographed by Joel Burke, the production offers a contemporary interpretation of Jay Gatsby, portraying him not simply as a figure of satire, but as a romantic consumed by his belief that the past can be remade. Burke’s choreography moves between the extravagant energy of Gatsby’s legendary parties and moments of intimacy and vulnerability, using ballet, tap and jazz to explore the emotional tension beneath the glamour.

An original score by Emmy Award-winning composer Jason Fernandez, alongside Dominic Cabusi, gives the production its cinematic momentum. A live jazz band made up of international musicians performs at every Esplanade performance, taking the stage during Gatsby’s party scenes.

“Even though it's a full theatrical experience, I want that sensation of, ‘I can't believe it's already over,‘” Burke says. “Because theatre should feel transporting. It should sweep you up completely... and when the curtain falls, there should be that slight disbelief - that rare feeling that you've just experienced something larger than you expected.”

From the dazzling scale of Gatsby’s infamous parties to the intimacy of his pursuit of the past, The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey is a visually and emotionally charged theatrical experience. With a world-class cast of 35 dancers and live musicians on stage, performing to a score composed by Emmy Award-winning composers, the Singapore season offers audiences a fresh take on one of literature’s most enduring love stories.

Photo Credit: BIG Live