Elegant Ensemble Work Marks ‘La Bayadere’

The pleasures of the Paris Opera Ballet “La Bayadere” at the Orange County Performing Arts Center come from ensemble dancing of great elegance and uniformity--unusually high, sharp and buoyant footwork in particular. Arm movements tend to be shallowly produced--from the shoulders rather than deep within the back--and expressive values stay muted if not utterly absent.

On Wednesday, however, Agnes Letestu demonstrated that a detailed dramatic interpretation need not conflict with the formal priorities of Parisian classicism. Playing the title role in Rudolf Nureyev’s staging of this full-evening narrative work, she colored her refined, lyrical dancing with specific and effective insights about the feelings of this bayadere (temple dancer).

If her Tuesday predecessor in the role played “The Shades” vision scene as a classical showpiece, Letestu remained within the world of the ballet, portraying a figure from beyond the grave. And she even managed to execute the additional steps Nureyev imposed on the original choreographic text without appearing as unmusical as some of her colleagues in such passages.

As her rival, Gamzatti, Marie-Agnes Gillot concentrated on her meticulously calibrated technique, delivering faultless bravura in the coda to the betrothal ensemble but no real sense of characterization. As Solor, the man caught between them, Jean-Guillaume Bart offered perfect placement, careful but strongly etched virtuosity (particularly in air turns) and admirable partnering--all in an emotional vacuum.

Among the subsidiary dancers, Karl Paquette proved dangerously overtaxed when partnering Letestu in the Act 1 palace duet, but Benjamin Pech provided an exceptionally smooth, secure performance as the Golden Idol.

In the “Shades” solos, Eleonora Abbagnato exemplified power and precision, with the springy Laetitia Pujol and the luxuriant Delphine Moussin also impressive. Vello Pahn again conducted.

* The Paris Opera Ballet dances “La Bayadere” with alternating casts today at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. $20-$85. (714) 740-7878.