Problematic ‘Don Quixote’ Has a Few Bright Moments

Four years ago, Los Angeles was the last city in America to see the complete Bolshoi Ballet. Now, many of the same artists who won fans and acclaim here back then are dancing lead roles in the company’s ongoing engagement at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

At the top of the list: Galina Stepanenko, a fine Kitri in a different, better staging of the full-evening “Don Quixote” four years ago and just as notably forceful and hearty in her performance of the same role on Thursday.

Apart from a rocky finish to her fouettes, Stepanenko vanquished the technical challenges effortlessly--her speedy, percussive attacks early on matched by her sense of lyrical flow as the choreography grew more serenely classical in the vision scene and grand pas de deux. But where was her fan in the fan solo?

Unfortunately, no evident rapport--personal or technical--existed between Stepanenko and her partner, Sergei Filin, so some of the splashy lifts, throws, dives and extended balances that depend on inspired teamwork remained less daring than those of their Wednesday counterparts.

As Basil, Filin emphasized a blunt vitality in his acting and ventured lots of sharp, surprising turns in his solos, always looking strong and secure without doing anything indelible. Others, however, took up the slack, especially Yuliana Malkhasyants in the Gypsy solo: a spectacular, over-the-top display of old-Bolshoi character-dance skills and temperament, complete with a florid star curtain call. Unforgettable.

As Mercedes, Irina Zibrova commanded fabulous pliancy and a brilliant jump while her rival for Espada, Maria Isplatovskaya, made her castanets sing in a very glamorous performance of the Act 2 Spanish Dance.

In the title role, Alexei Loparevich walked like a young man, gestured like an old one and proved less a knight of woeful countenance than someone pleasantly befuddled on nearly every occasion. Thus the clumsily staged puppet show and windmill sequence, with Quixote madly attacking everyone and everything, looked even sillier than on opening night.

Other major roles and solos featured artists reviewed earlier. Alexander Sotnikov again conducted with impressive urgency, but the Pacific Symphony sounded just as shrill and raucous as before.

Shortened intermissions gave the audience less time to admire Dwight Grell’s comprehensive display of Bolshoi memorabilia upstairs, but helped sustain interest in the ballet itself.

Incidentally, company sources deny it, but the portrait on the wall of Don Quixote’s room in the Prologue looks an awful lot like “Don Quixote” author Miguel de Cervantes, though perhaps a bit prematurely aged or under the weather. This problematic production could do that to anyone.

* Bolshoi Ballet, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. “Don Quixote”: Sunday, 2 p.m. “Romeo and Juliet”: today, 2 and 8 p.m. $25-$90. (213) 365-3500. Also Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. “Don Quixote”: Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 p.m. “Romeo and Juliet”: Friday, 7:30 p.m.; July 1, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.; July 2, 2 p.m. $20-$85. (714) 556-ARTS.