Swan Lake

One of the world's best-loved ballets—a tragic romance about a handsome prince who falls in love with a beautiful princess turned into a swan by a malevolent sorcerer—receives an enjoyable if hardly revelatory presentation in Kevin McKenzie's 2005 American Ballet Theatre staging, here taped for broadcast on the PBS Dance in America series. Tchaikovsky's score is trimmed to well under two hours and somewhat rearranged, and McKenzie has added an unnecessary prologue depicting the original bewitchment. Too, the introductory material on the Kennedy Center and remarks by Caroline Kennedy about the work might well have been excised, and the audience's applause is sometimes intrusive. But on the whole this is a graceful, traditional mounting, with colorful sets and costumes, and an orchestra that only occasionally sounds a bit scrawny—especially in the violins—under Ormsby Wilkins' brisk leadership. The sound—with DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo options—is generally fine, although there are abrupt dropouts at the ends of acts, but one can put up with minor flaws when the dancers are so impressive. Gillian Murphy is resplendent as Odette/Odeil, and though Angel Corella doesn't seem a perfect partner as Prince Siegfried, he's certainly technically accomplished. The supporting cast is excellent, too, with Herman Cornejo an especially fine Benno and Marcelo Gomes a standout Von Rothbart (though in this production the role is split between two dancers, the other being Isaac Stappas). Good if not outstanding, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)