Ballet Has Untold Charms

Chris Pasles’ review of the “Cinderella” ballet claims that there isn’t much “good news” about the American Ballet Theatre production at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (“Stevenson’s ‘Cinderella’ Loses More Than a Slipper, Aug. 4). I attended the same two performances reviewed plus the Sunday matinee.

Certainly the Thursday evening ballet had the strongest Cinderella and her prince. Both partners danced assuredly and with great strength. However, the final performance on Sunday, not reviewed, was the most tender production of “Cinderella” I have ever seen.

On Sunday, Martha Butler as Cinderella played a flowing and ever-so-tender princess. Her performance will long linger in the mind of those attending.

In the top balcony at the Pavilion, several 5-year-old children around me were glued to the entire ballet. Pasles was glad the ballet was only two hours and 20 minutes; however, the children wanted more ballet. The production was visually entertaining and the music loud and exciting. Perhaps many of the thousands of people who attended last weekend were born-again children. This is the magic of ballet.

ROGER HESS

Dana Point