Carolina Ballet is presenting Swan Lake May 19-22 at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. My attachment to classical ballet began when I was three or four, but until today I'd never seen even a filmed version of this most famous of the famous ballets. Robert Weiss, the choreographer, was working with a smaller corps de ballet and a smaller budget than Swan Lake productions typically demand, but all in all he did well with what he had. The choregraphy wasn't dazzling, but the musical performance was excellent, and overall, it was quality dancing. Lest that sound like faint praise, I cut my teeth on Russian dancers. To my mind, Americans just don't have the same precision, the same presence, or the same grace.

The pas de deux between the gypsy and his betrothed in the first scene was particularly exquisite. The most absolutely dramatic moment of the whole first act came with the sorcerer's descent on the prince and the swan princess, and the ensuing pas de trois, as they alternately seize the princess. The end of Act Two, with the drowning of the sorcerer, was dramatic too. Good choreographing there.

My favorite dancer was an obscure member of the ballet de corps, who danced the part of one of the rejected princesses at the ball. This girl was was taller than most of the ballerinas, and perhaps a year or two older. She was the only dancer who never looked mechanical. Everything was utterly confident, utterly graceful, and perfectly poised. She had just a touch of what makes Cynthia Harvey such a delight.

The Opera Company of North Carolina is doing Tosca in June, and the North Carolina Theatre is doing Camelot in September. I want to see both of those. You just can't beat $5 or $10. I got in to Swan Lake today on a $5 rush ticket, and as full as the house was, I had a mezzanine seat.