DANCE REVIEW : Dabrowski Lifts ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ : Sea World: California Ballet’s performance is too long to hold children’s interest and also too long to keep its many defects from showing.

The secure poise, delicacy and exactitude of principal dancer Denise Dabrowski has often redeemed Maxine Mahon’s amateurish California Ballet productions. As the fairy queen Titania in Saturday night’s performance of the company’s season opener, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Dabrowski put her unfailing magic into an otherwise unenchanted production.

In one scene of this three-act ballet based on Shakespeare’s play, Titania falls for an oafish mortal, Bottom, after Puck has placed a mischievous spell on her. As Bottom, California Ballet principal Patrick Nollet put some professionally wrought humor into his antic prances, and his “love duet” with Titania gave needed warmth and true fairyland esprit to the long performance in the chilly air at Sea World’s outdoor Nautilus Amphitheater.

The production lasted more than 2 1/2 hours, too long to fully engage the attention of an audience’s young children, for which it is most suitable, and too long to showcase only the company’s abilities and not its glaring weaknesses.

Sprawling through segment upon segment of ensemble and corps dancing, in unimaginative sets and costumes, this “Dream” has the look of a student recital. It would have more to offer if it offered less.

Dabrowski and Nollet, comfortable “old pros,” were joined by guest dancers Vitaly Artiushkin as the noble mortal Theseus, Steven Wistrich as the fairy king Oberon, and Marla Navarrete, whose sprightly Puck indulged in pixie snickers and hammed-up petulance, to the delight of preschoolers and adults.

Although their talents were disappointingly underutilized, Wistrich and Artiushkin executed their roles well. Wistrich, former director of the United States International University’s dance program, mainly waved fairies on and off the stage, and Artiushkin, former principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, was essentially on hand for the many lifts required in duets with California Ballet’s Karen Evans, who danced as Hippolyta.

Evans has a pretty stage presence, and her dancing shows considerable maturity, but she lacks the assurance that gives the performances of Dabrowski, for example, their fluidity and calm facial expression.

As the hapless lovers crossed up by parental edict and Puck’s carelessness, Jennifer Curry (Helena), Billy Umland (Demetrius), Sylvia Poolos (Hermia) and Matthew Bean (Lysander) gave humorous young-in-love portrayals as they vigorously pursued, resisted, despaired or thrilled with infatuation. Some of the partnering was shaky, but the acting and interacting was solid.