The most intriguing was Suite en Blanc, choreographed by Serge Lifar in 1943 to music for the lost Petipa ballet Namouna by 19th century composer Edouard Lalo. From its spectacular opening image of the whole ensemble you know you are in for a treat. Few companies have this work in their repertoire due to the number of high quality soloists required to perform it (after seeing it, one ex-dancer described it as “an all-star ballet” and that hits the nail on the head). Whereas most one act showpieces have big roles for only two principals plus three or four soloists, Suite includes dances for groups of three or five, three major solos and a pas de deux and makes huge technical demands on all the dancers, including those in the corps de ballet. Strictly classical in technique (with the emphasis on beats and turns), stylistically there is a subtle but definite shift away from conventional classicism, notably in the original but pleasingly natural use of arms and the Lifar “sixth position” (feet straight forward side by side, rather than turned out).

It is a tribute to HKB’s strength in depth that they were able to perform it so well technically and to capture Lifar’s distinctive style – now they just need to learn to put across this most French of ballets with the panache it calls for. Highlights included an exquisite pas de trois from Wu Fei-fei, Liu Yu-yao and Ye Fei-fei, a cleanly-danced pas de cinq from an effervescent Kyoko Tomimura and four splendidly buoyant cavaliers (Carlo Pacis, Shen Jie, Hikota Taira, Yo Takahira) and a rousing mazurka from Nobuo Fujino. Faye Leung gave a gloriously languorous interpretation of the famous “Cigarette” solo and Jin Yao produced a spectacular manège in the finale.

In contrast, Antony Tudor’s Jardin aux Lilas (Lilac Garden), created in 1936 to music by Ernest Chausson, makes minimal technical demands of the dancers, instead requiring them to use their bodies to express emotion and character. The choreography of this “first psychological ballet” is simple but immensely expressive – the heroine’s stance, back painfully arched, powerfully conveys her yearning for the love she is being forced to give up. This glimpse of a forgotten world of arranged marriages and repressed feelings can seem dated, but both the HKB casts caught the tone of the piece perfectly and made it truthful and moving.

There were deeply felt and commendably individual interpretations in all the lead roles. Faye Leung was a pathetic, tragically resigned Caroline, while the equally touching Wu Fei-fei brought out the dichotomy between what the character feels and the façade she is forced to adopt. As the fiancé’s former mistress, Jin Yao also seemed resigned to moving on to the next relationship, in contrast to Eve Chan’s painful desperation to hang on to the man who is abandoning her. On the male side, there were passionate accounts of Caroline’s lover from Brett Simon and Wei Wei, while in the role of her fiancé Izak David Claase portrayed a man tormented beneath an ice-cold surface and William Lin suggested a latent brutality. Fine acting from the supporting cast too, with Li Yi-ran (as the bitchy one) and Jae-eun Park (as the compassionate one) making a strong impression as Caroline’s friends. Yuri Ng’s costumes captured the look of the period and showed his welcome gift for making clothes which move with the dancers’ bodies, enhancing the movement instead of encumbering it.

Balanchine’s Rubies made a dazzling finale to the programme. This is Mr B letting down his hair and having fun with jazzy, playful choreography to Stravinsky’s sparkling Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra. Any doubts as to how HKB’s dancers would deal with this extreme example of Balanchine’s style were soon put to rest as they zipped through its intricacies with the delighted enthusiasm of children at a funfair. Someone ought to tell Chantel Elizabeth Roulston that Balanchine is supposed to be difficult – she keeps making the choreography look easy and enjoying herself into the bargain. Her partner, Nobuo Fujino seemed to be having as much as fun as she was. Returning to HKB this year after two and a half years with Australian Ballet, Fujino has matured greatly as an artist and it is a pleasure to see him dancing in Hong Kong again. The lead couple in the second cast, Kyoko Tomimura and Carlo Pacis, showed vertiginous speed, innate musicality and an excellent understanding of the style. The quartet of male dancers (Kenji Hidaka, Shen Jie, Hikota Taira and Jonathan Mangosing) were outstanding and the corps acquitted themselves splendidly. The new costumes (in glowing ruby velvet) and set by Bill Haycock, were highly effective.

Two distinguished guest artists were appearing with the company : Tan Yuan Yuan of San Francisco Ballet (in her debut as regular Guest Principal Dancer) and Sofiane Sylve, who had already performed with HKB last year. They alternated in the solo female lead in Rubies and the White Adagio from Swan Lake, which was included in the programme to showcase them. Tan’s accomplished account of the latter showed her technical ability and demonstrated the melting quality of movement for which she is renowned but was marred by over-mannered arms. I personally preferred Sylve’s interpretation, grand, smoothly flowing movement embued with nobility and feeling. The guests were ably partnered by two of HKB’s dancers, Tan by the elegant Zhang Yao and Sylve by William Lin, who deserves special credit for lifting his statuesque ballerina as if she was a feather in Odette’s wing.

The evening was as rich and varied musically as choreographically and the HK Sinfonietta under Emil de Cou gave a fine performance of the differing scores. There was outstanding work by guest soloists Natsuko Yoshimoto (violin for Jardin aux Lilas) and Helen Cha (piano for Rubies).

In reviewing this fine programme, as well as giving credit to Artistic Director John Meehan and his staff at HKB, mention should be made of the contribution made by the guest repetiteurs – Maina Gielgud and Paul DeMasson for Suite en Blanc, Donald Mahler for Lilac Garden and Sandy Jennings for Rubies.

A version of this review previously appeared in the South China Morning Post.

Venue : Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Dancers : Wu, Liu, Ye, Tomimura, Pacis, Shen, Taira, Takahira, Fujino, Leung, Jin, Chan, Simon, Wei, Claase, Lin, Li, Park, Roulston, Hidaka, Tan, Sylve, Zhang.