LA SYLPHIDE -- Bermuda Civic Ballet at Government House La Sylphide, set in the wooded glades of distant Scotland, is the epitome of the Romantic Ballet and it was an inspired decision by Bermuda Civic Ballet to choose this oldest of classical ballets for this year's open air production in the grounds of Government House.

Fortunately, the heavy rain of Wednesday evening which had caused the abrupt abandonment of the first performance, gave way to starry skies on Thursday.

From the moment the elusive Sylphide materialised in an aura of light from the darkened bushes and bourreed softly across the stage, it was evident that this was one of the finest productions seen yet by Civic Ballet.

Staged by former ballerina Belinda Wright with the assistance of her husband Jelko Yuresha, it was a faithful interpretation of Bournonville's original choreography for the Royal Danish Ballet in 1836. And although this was, at least in the corps de ballet sequences, a simplified version, they retained most of the familiar solos and pas de deux, and certainly the essence and spirit of this enduring work.

If La Sylphide seems a quaint period piece today, in its time it embodied in a dramatic way, the new thinking that heralded the Romantic Movement. The story of the kilted hero who jilted his fiancee to pursue a chaste vision that only he could see, illustrated man's obsession with the unobtainable. Seen in that context, this ballet, quite apart from its historical importance, has a certain validity, even today.

Belinda Wright also captured perfectly, the subtle touches of comic relief, which, incidentally, set it quite apart from the unrelieved sorrows of Giselle and Swan Lake. For this is a rather naughty sylph, who merrily claps her hands when things are going her way.

Stepping into the title role immortalised by Marie Taglioni, the most ethereal dancer in ballet history and credited with being the first dancer to rise on her pointes, was Alexandra Duzevic. The deceptively difficult fast bourrees, soaring lifts, soft arms and fluttering wrists were exquisitely portrayed by this most promising young dancer. With a crown of flowers on her head and floating tulle skirts, she looked the very image of a Taglioni lithograph brought to life -- a tribute both to her interpretation and Belinda Wright's sensitive tuition.

But there were more splendours to come in the glorious form of Alison Masters, returning home to dance the role of Effie, the fiancee. Radiant, and displaying formidable technique with a clarity of line that positively glittered, her strong pointes, effortlessly high arabesques and dagger-sharp footwork, confirmed that she is still far and away the finest classical dancer that Bermuda has yet produced.

Patrick Notaro, a guest principal from the Festival Ballet of Rhode Island, brought verve and elan to the role of James, the Scottish hero of the piece.

His entrechats which are, of course, so closely allied to the intricacies of traditional Scottish dancing, were impressive and he has an engaging stage presence. The first act pas de deux with Alison Masters was one of the technical highlights of the evening and he was a sympathetic partner to Alexandra Duzevic in the lyrical passages.

David Drummond, who stepped in to replace an ailing Shawn Mahoney, brought a quiet professionalism to the supportive role of Gurn and Coral Waddell was a convincingly malevolent witch.

Don Joliffe, with kilt a-flying as he struggled through a celebratory highland fling brought his customary humour to the role of the father and 15-year old Boston student, Ariane Pacy, who is attending Patricia Gray's summer school here, showed real distinction as leader of the corps de ballet.

William Ferguson added to the air of authenticity as he strode across the stage, whirling his Scottish bagpipes.

Visually, this was a beautiful production, the Scottish tartans bringing a rich flash of colour amongst the pale apparitions of the dancing sylphs. The lighting, on the whole, was romantically effective, picking out the shapes and shadows of the overhanging trees.

On the debit side, the sound system seemed rather thin and hardly did justice to Lovenskjold's melodic score.

And while the corps de ballet coped heroically with their set dances and achieved some attractively sustained tableaux, the corps did appear to be rather depleted in numbers, as did the so-called crowd scenes on this rather large stage.

All in all, though, under the direction of Carol Waddell, this was an outstanding production of which the Civic Ballet may be justifiably proud.

Appropriately, it was dedicated to the memory of the great Legat teacher, Madame Ana Roje and her husband Oscar Harmos who staged the first Bermuda Civic Ballet production twenty years ago.

PATRICIA CALNAN BALLET CLASSIC -- Leading dancers (from left) Alexandra Duzevic as the Sylphide, Patrick Notaro as James and Alison Masters as Effie in the Civic Ballet's open air production of La Sylphide which runs through tomorrow evening at Government House.