BEJART BALLET TO UNVEIL 2 WEST COAST PREMIERES

SAN DIEGO —  Maurice Bejart, founding father of Brussels’ Bejart Ballet of the Twentieth Century, will be conspicuously absent when his troupe returns to Spreckels Theater for four concerts, beginning Monday. He won’t make it to Los Angeles for the company’s eight performances at UCLA’s Royce Hall on Feb. 7-12 either.

Instead, the 60-year-old patriarch of the ballet company that bears his name is recovering in a Swiss hospital from a severe arthritic problem triggered by a hip replacement a couple of years ago.

“He always traveled with the company,” said Bejart ballet mistress, Christine Anthony, by phone from Boston. “Now that Maurice can’t be here with us, a few of us are sharing (the leadership role). But the only effect it’s had is that it has made the kids more determined to do well.

“They’re all working harder than ever because they miss him. He was always the focal point of the company, and the dancers don’t want to disappoint him.”

Bejart’s 65-member company, one of the largest in the world, will unveil two West Coast premieres (“Dionysos Suite” and “Malraux”) during its San Diego stay in a pair of programs that span almost three decades of development for the controversial French-born choreographer.

“Dionysos Suite” (1984), a chain of dances juxtaposed against traditional Greek melodies and the music of Manos Hadjidakis, is set in a modern Greek tavern. But, as Anthony was quick to point out, the piece is not an offshoot of Bejart’s sunny and flirtatious “Seven Greek Dances.”

“ ‘Dionysos Suite’ (consists of) extracts from a full-length ballet--and it’s about Doinysos. It’s a marvelous boys’ dance--very strong, very powerful and very dynamic.”

“Malraux” is a tribute to French author Andre Malraux. Set to a musical pastiche (including bits of Beethoven and original music by Hugues Le Bars) and vocal score and narrative arrangements created by Philippe Bianco, “Malraux” is a complex theater piece that probes the psyche as well as the external world of the famed author.

“Malraux” was designed in November and features a pas de deux for Bejart favorite Jorge Dunn and Lynne Charles.

“ ‘Malraux’ also consists of extracts from a full-length work,” Anthony said. “Los Angeles particularly requested this piece because there’s a movement at UCLA that is very interested in Malraux’s writings.

“Malraux was a politician, a poet and a writer. This work is about things that happened in his life. (Malraux) is portrayed by five boys (representing) five different aspects of his character--from dreamer, to hero and joker.”

Once the enfant terrible of the international dance world, Bejart is becoming more acceptable--even among the major critics, Anthony said.

“He hasn’t changed so much. It’s the fact that people are learning to understand him. They’re ready for his style now. He hasn’t gone to the people.”

If present plans bear fruit, the Bejart Ballet could become one of the first Western troupes to collaborate with a Soviet ballet company. Bejart is negotiating an agreement that would allow him to mount a co-production with the celebrated Kirov.

“There are some problems, but we’re very hopeful it will work out. The Russians have certainly showed interest in having us, and we’d love to perform in the Soviet Union. It would be so exciting, and such an important step forward,” said the English-born ballet mistress.

San Diegans will get a close look at the Bejart in two diverse programs. The company will dance “Dionysos Suite,” “ Cantata No. 51” and “Ce Que L’Amour Me Dit” on Monday and Tuesday, and “Light,” “Sonata a Trois” and “Malraux” on Wednesday and Thursday. All performances are at 8 p.m.