The Gamut From Wan to World-Class

Every American balletomane recognizes the Paris Opera Ballet as a great international ensemble, but after that, French classicism remains uncharted territory. Which company comes next--Marseille with its Petit whimsies? Lyon with its anti-classical experiments? Nancy? Limoges? Bordeaux? Rouen? Du Rhin?

Enter the Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse, recently upgraded from providing Terpsichorean filler in grand opera and now on its first U.S. tour. Dancing to tape at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, the company ricocheted from bland diligence to genuine stature, looking like a regional nonentity in George Balanchine’s “Scotch Symphony” and something very special in the same choreographer’s “Prodigal Son.” Finally, in the comic Americana of Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo,” it proved more committed and idiomatic than American Ballet Theatre in its Costa Mesa performances of the ballet a year ago.

“Rodeo” also obviously received most of the tech time in Cerritos: The other ballets on the company’s opening program suffered from washed-out lighting, but here Oliver Smith’s atmospheric backdrops positively glowed. As the Cowgirl, Silvia Pairotti started out too self-consciously cute but soon settled into a persuasive portrayal, with plenty of chemistry between her and the amiably rough-hewn Luca Tozzi as the Champion Roper.

The deepest moment, however, came when Evgeni Slepov as the Head Wrangler took the hand of Frederique Vivan as the Rancher’s Daughter: a simple gesture that these artists took to the very heart of De Mille’s concept of dance-theater.

If the Toulouse corps pulled more of the choreography and Copland score into their bodies than most American companies manage these days, the sparkling neoclassicism of “Scotch Symphony” found nearly everyone rushed and anonymous. Worse, it left the physical and technical imperfections of the three principals cruelly exposed.

Using music by Mendelssohn, Balanchine evoked some of the personalities and ambience of the Romantic masterwork “La Sylphide,” so audiences often associate his leading roles with their Bournonville ancestors. Unfortunately, Christelle Combescot’s stiffness in the upper body and arms undercut her fleet footwork in the Effie role, while the pas de deux for the equivalents of the Sylph and James fell prey to constant partnering strain and a mismatch in emotional values between the glazed and sometimes ruinously saucy Anne Frenois and the pointlessly glum Minh Pham.

Yes, they danced the steps “in accordance with Balanchine Style and Technique Service Standards,” to quote the standard choreographic program credit. But the result stayed wan and provincial.

In contrast, “Prodigal Son” (to Prokofiev) boasted a world-class performance by Patrice Lasserre in the title role: always exciting in its energy, scale and expressive power, with abundant technical bravura--though perhaps a little less elevation than could have been wished. Also just short of ideal: the commanding and accomplished Paola Pagano as the Siren in those moments when she is supposed to exude extravagantly phony glamour and mystery.

Michel Rahn, Frederic Sellier and Tozzi skillfully filled secondary roles, while the Siren’s henchman proved aptly funny and menacing. If only the fabled Roualt scene-paintings had been properly lit to make their colors as hauntingly incandescent as in other productions. Maybe by tonight, when new Toulouse leads test themselves against this moving biblical dance drama, still fresh and full of innovation after nearly 70 years.

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* Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse dances Balanchine’s “Prodigal Son,” “Rubies” and “Raymonda Variations” tonight at 8, Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive. $10-$40. (562) 916-8500.