Passionate Payoff From National Ballet of Spain

Getting to the Universal Amphitheatre on Thursday night, despite the Cahuenga Pass accident and the resultant hours-long traffic nightmare, was worth the considerable effort. The National Ballet of Spain, now directed by Aida Gomez, a dancer remembered from the 1988 tour in Orange County, looked spectacular--vivid, crisp, well-drilled and passionate. There was plenty of fire and star power.

A number of new works--including Felipe Sanchez’s “Los Tarantos” and Antonio Canales’ “La Vida Breve”--are being premiered on this U.S. tour, but Los Angeles got only one of them: Canales’ “Grito.”

This is a stylized flamenco suite, danced to the only live music on the program. It showcased the precise and vibrant male and female corps, but especially a number of soloists.

Maribel Gallardo and Currillo, for instance, danced a perfectly matched duet, in which the shapes between the dancers were as finely drawn and integral as the shapes they made individually. She showed audacious spirit, which Currillo met with understated but supremely confident support.

Guest artist Lola Greco danced a sinuous solo, magically, languidly coming to life after being made suddenly present on the stage through the conjurations of magician figure Jesus Florencio. But if she started slow, she ended with passages of blazing, intricate footwork.

Jesus Cordoba, Jose Serrano and David Torre were the moody, hot male trio. The singers were Juan Jose Hernandez, Manuel Palacin and Ana Maria Ramon. The guitarists were Antonio Amaya, Jose Maria Bandera and Juan Soto. Pata Losada was the percussionist.

The program opened with Alberto Lorca’s “Ritmos,” a formal company introduction piece, somewhat like a Spanish “Serenade,” danced to taped music by Jose Nieto.

Elsewhere, in Felipe Sanchez’s solo “Zapateado,” the poised Oscar Jimenez created whole melodies as well as varied instrumentation through his virtuosic heel work.

After intermission, the company danced Jose Graneros’ familiar “Medea,” with the electrifying Greco fully meeting the complex, visceral demands of the title role.

Francisco Velasco was a striking, even vulnerable Jason. Currillo was a powerful Creonte; Nieves Roche, a sweet Nodriza; Cristina Visus, the sympathetic but helpless Creusa. “Medea’s” two male spirit attendants (Alvaro L. Galiacho and Jesus Florencio) are still conceptually anachronistic, but the work remains dramatically overwhelming.

Amphitheatre managers said they would try to accommodate paid ticket-holders who didn’t make it through the traffic jams Thursday at performances today and Sunday. Call (818) 777-3931 for information.

* National Ballet of Spain will dance the same program today, 8:15 p.m. and Sunday, 2:15 p.m., Universal Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. $33-$58. (213) 252-TIXS.