In nine previous seasons, it has presented seven evening-length story ballets (among its 90 offerings) keeping them in active rotation. Now, by adding a visually stunning and strongly danced "Sleeping Beauty," artistic director Robert Weiss achieves a record to be envied by other regional companies with much longer histories and many more dancers.

Rounding out the company's big three Tchaikovsky ballets (along with "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake"), "Sleeping Beauty" becomes the crown jewel of its repertory. Although Weiss usually creates his own choreography for these story classics, here he retains more than half of the original 1890 choreography by Marius Petipa, challenging the dancers as no other pieces have. All the big moments (the Lilac Fairy solos, Aurora's "Rose Adagio," the Bluebird sequence and the wedding pas de deux) are all there, putting the performers up to exacting scrutiny. Fortunately, with the company's depth in soloists and Weiss' profound understanding of Petipa style, the production successfully delivers this revered choreography and received tradition.

Both casts (seen at Wednesday's dress rehearsal and Thursday's opening) are virtually equal, each with different strengths and personalities. Lilyan Vigo's Aurora has ethereal grace and poise, matched by the leonine presence of Timour Bourtasenkov's Prince. Both bring a focused confidence to their roles, satisfyingly dominating the stage.

Margaret Severin-Hansen's Aurora beams lively warmth, a sprightly figure full of life, ardently pursued by Alain Molina's more naturalistic Prince. Both Auroras' pointe work is exquisite, their stamina phenomenal.

Hong Yang's Lilac Fairy radiates all-encompassing beneficence; Lara O'Brien gives hers a coolly refined powerfulness. Among the other alternating soloists, Attila Bongar makes the better Lilac Fairy Cavalier, Pablo Javier Perez the better Bluebird, although both Nikolai Smirnov with Jan Burkhard and Eugene Shlapko with Barbara Toth make the "Puss in Boots" pas de deux equally charming. For both casts Margot K. Martin electrifies with her energetic fairy godmother, Violente.

Weiss' main change is for the evil fairy Carabosse, usually a character role with little actual dance, often played by a male to emphasize angularity and ugliness. Weiss opts for more choreographic possibilities by casting Melissa Podcasy as a darkly alluring beauty on pointe, aided by her familiar, the Raven (a nod to the Disney film), sensuously embodied by Marcelo Martinez. Both expertly execute Weiss' vivid steps, although there is little frightening menace projected by this conception.

Physically, this is the company's grandest production. David Heuvel's bevy of costumes makes it truly sumptuous with their spangled silks and brocades. Jeff A.R. Jones contributes a lovely forest scene and vine-tangled castle gate, although the castle interior's brown, green and blue color scheme isn't very pleasing. But Jones triumphs in his design for the dragon (constructed by Paperhand Puppet Intervention), another Disney influence, whose massive jaws and claws are duly awe-inspiring. Ross Kolman's lighting adds further drama and focus to this most impressive creation.

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