The Little Mermaid

Carolina Ballet brings The Little Mermaid to the Fletcher Opera Theater in Raleigh, with performances running from March 4 through March 21, 2027. It's a new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's story, and the company is building it around a few specific creative choices: choreography by Zalman Raffael and an original score by Aaron Severini.

If you know the story, you know the beats. The Sea King's headstrong daughter wants to live above the water with humans—especially the prince she's fallen for—and she's willing to give up her voice to make a deal with the Sea Witch. The production runs an hour and a half with one interval, and the company describes it as a program for audiences of all ages, following a young mermaid's journey of sacrifice, courage, and the pursuit of her own voice.

Visually, the production is built on a couple of distinct elements. The staging is set against Aaron Severini's original score and Rebecca Rebouché's backdrops, and the company points to updated sets and iridescent costumes as part of the new look. The choreography comes from Zalman Raffael, so the whole thing is a fresh take on the material rather than a revival of an older version.

There are plenty of dates to choose from across the three weeks. The first weekend runs Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6 at 7:30 PM, with a 2 PM and 7:30 PM showing on Saturday, March 7, and a 2 PM matinee on Sunday, March 8. The second weekend is Saturday, March 14 at 2 PM and 7:30 PM. The final weekend runs Saturday, March 21 at 2 PM and 7:30 PM, and Sunday, March 22 at 2 PM. Doors open 60 minutes before each performance.