Idealism and a ‘Cruel World’ From American Ballet Theatre

A disturbing vision of women being controlled by men, followed by a series of dances exalting them: It was a strange mix of repertory that American Ballet Theatre chose for its opening Tchaikovsky program Wednesday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

James Kudelka’s aptly titled “Cruel World” preceded a series of three showpiece pas de deux and the final act of “The Sleeping Beauty.” ABT turns to another fairy tale with Ben Stevenson’s “Cinderella” today through Sunday.

The company looked more impressive in stature and involvement than it did when it danced Americana repertory in February at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Even so, New York saw more glamorous star casting at the Metropolitan Opera House in June. Dancing there but missing in Los Angeles were Nina Ananiashvili, Julio Bocca, Jose Manuel Caren~o, Susan Jaffe, Vladimir Malakhov and Ethan Stiefel. A bit of the international bloom was off the rose.

“Cruel World,” set to Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir de Florence,” for all its duets, is a group piece anyway, relentless in its formal containment and manipulation of women. They try to escape but can’t. They’re allowed expression of grief, but it doesn’t change anything. For all that, the men, trapped in their own roles, don’t seem to get much joy out of their domination. It’s a cruel world, indeed.

Once past some initial raggedness in ensemble, the dancers responded to the choreographer’s speedy and intricate demands with crisp and individual authority. Dancing duets in the first movement were the impressive Ashley Tuttle and Gil Boggs, Amanda McKerrow and Robert Hill, and Sandra Brown and Charles Askegard. Prominent dancers in the other movements included Guillaume Graffin, Julie Kent and Robert Hill, Christine Dunham and Andrei Dokukin, and Paloma Herrera and Keith Roberts.

To compensate for this dark vision of human relationships, the program shifted gears to offer high points of “Swan Lake” and “Nutcracker,” as well as Balanchine’s “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux.”

Matthew Bourne’s radical version of “Swan Lake,” danced recently at the other end of the Music Center, has taught us not only to see but also to hear the ballet differently. The customary tempo for the second act adagio now sounds unnecessarily funereal and distorted. Sure, it allowed McKerrow to exploit extraordinary refinement and control, but with her rapt intensity, the impact of her dancing would not have been greatly lessened at a quicker, less Russian prima-dominated pace.

Opposite her, Roberts danced his first Prince with understandable caution and welcome dramatic involvement.

In the “Nutcracker” pas de deux, Dunham maintained lyric calm and elegance despite some rough partnering by Askegard. He was clean and secure in his variation, however.

Herrera and Angel Corella proved the audience favorites in Balanchine’s “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux.” With his bounding flights and bravura turns it was easy to see why. Her blurred and softened contours were less easy to accept, but she was fearless in the final fish dives.

The ideal world of “Sleeping Beauty” perhaps was meant to exorcise fully Kudelka’s vision, although Nicholas Georgiadis’ confectionary production didn’t create much magic, nor did the dancers inhabit the characters very deeply. Still, Kent danced Aurora with exemplary poise and assurance. As her Prince, Graffin offered sturdy, but sometimes untypically chancy support.

Yan Chen danced Diamond with delicacy and precision. Corella was a sunny Gold. Rebecca Massey was an overly cutesy White Cat, supported by a diligent Griff Braun. Katie Lydon was a credibly sweet Red Riding Hood menaced by John Selya’s solid Wolf.

Tuttle was a refined Princess Florine and Maynard a buoyant Blue Bird. Maynard, incidentally, injured his calf, according to a company spokesperson, probably in the fumbled landing at the end of his variation. He danced the coda, but Roberts discreetly replaced him in the final mazurka and at the curtain call.

Ermanno Florio conducted all the music.

* American Ballet Theatre dances Ben Stevenson’s “Cinderella” at 8 p.m. today and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135. N. Grand Ave. $15-$50. (213) 972-7211.