HOUSTON BALLET'S THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, MARCH 26 & 28, 1999

The Sleeping Beauty is one of the masterpieces of the classical ballet repertory, and to see Nina dance the title part (as she did just once in ABT's 1998 Met season) must be considered a summit by ballet connoisseurs. So it was not too difficult for one of the "Friends of Nina Ananiashvili in New York" to convince herself that she must see Nina perform it with Houston Ballet in March. In fact, this writer saw two performances, March 26 and 28 at Houston's Wortham Center.

Nina's excellence in this role is already well- established. What was really a surprise in Houston was the high caliber of the resident company. Under Ben Stevenson's stewardship, the dancers--mostly drawn from the company school--have been molded into a coherent ensemble that not surprisingly given Stevenson's roots, looks very much like England's Royal Ballet. The neat feet, beautiful épaulement, refined musicality and regal poise of the dancers are a tribute to their director.

Add to these the beautiful sets by Desmond Heeley, and it's no wonder these performances enchanted both adults and the many young--and extremely well-behaved-- children in the audience (particularly at the Sunday matinee). In this version, King Florestan's court might have been in the St. Petersburg of Catherine the Great's time--with the more fashionable courtiers flaunting French couture while others adhered to Russian attire. Houston's much admired prima ballerina, Lauren Anderson, played an eloquently beneficent Lilac Fairy to Nina's Princess Aurora, with Sean Kelly as Prince Florimund (Désiré). The latter proved an attentive partner and convincing Prince, with an elegant line and fine carriage.

The various Fairies of the Prologue all showed a good grasp of character and style, dancing with individuality and finesse. Here Carabosse was danced by a ballerina--in both performances the remarkable Susan Cummins--dressed not as a hag, but as an elegant though potentially malevolent witch. (Think Morticia of the Addams Family in tutu.) Still, Nina's entrance in Act I brought heightened intensity to the performance and her dewy youthfulness as Aurora was enchanting. Once more, one wondered at the way this artist can nuance steps to project different meanings. Here her jumps and balances were but a winning expression of Aurora's youthful enthusiasm. When she pricked her finger one really felt concern for her.

ACT II's "Hunting Scene" was set beside a lake in a forest, and when the Lilac Fairy presented the Prince with a vision of Aurora, she appeared as a radiant water nymph, surrounded by others of her kind. Here and elsewhere, Stevenson has rearranged or augmented Petipa's steps somewhat. If memory serves me right, he assigned some of the Lilac Fairy's steps to Aurora--to no perceptible ill effect.

The company's schooling served to make ACT III especially wondrous. The various fairytale characters were danced with conviction and care-- melding steps and mime where needed. The White Cat (Mireille Hassenboehler) and Puss-in-Boots (David Makhateli) were outstanding; Parren Ballard proved an excitingly masculine but agile Bluebird, partnering the capable Dawn Scannell's Princess Florise. Nina's technical polish once again made a master class of the grand pas and variations at the end. Securely partnered, she executed the much anticipated fish dives that she often omits with other partners. Beyond accuracy and seeming ease of execution, moreover, she imbued the exacting tracery of steps for Aurora with the magic of fairy dust.