By now the Bolshoi Ballet has packed up its massive army of dancers and musicians, and its gargantuan arsenal of sets and costumes, and headed to its next destination. But its production of "Raymonda" -- a full-length work rarely seen in its entirety, but presented this past weekend at the Auditorium Theatre -- should not go without comment. A more spectacular blend of high art and unabashed kitsch would be difficult to imagine.

In the high-art category, consider the dancing of prima ballerina Nadezhda Gracheva, whose stunning performance in the title role -- technically flawless, impeccably musical and exquisitely expressive -- dominated Friday evening's performance. Gracheva is no "baby ballerina." Rather, she is the consummate artist whose experience and maturity could be felt in every phrase of her dancing. More petite than many of the younger dancers, she is a minimalist and a romantic at the same time. And her rock-steady balances, precision turns, crystalline footwork and feathery arms are all delivered with the most deceptive effortlessness.

Raymonda is a hugely demanding role, with solo variations, tricky partnering and ensemble work. Throughout its nearly three hours, Gracheva never dimmed -- never appeared to gasp for breath. Her princely partner (Ruslan Skvortsov) was less impressive and often seemed distracted by the long, entangling cape of his costume. Nevertheless, she breezed through the most difficult moves, overlooking his sometimes clumsy catches.

For sheer fun on a scale that might have pleased Cecil B. De Mille, the kitschy aspects of the ballet could not be beat. This is a romantic tale set against the panoply and exoticism of medieval courts and Crusaders on the march against the Saracens (Muslim pirates). And as Abderakhman, the flamboyant Saracen leader who vied for Raymonda's love, Dimitry Belogolovtsev was all fabulously contorted moves as he exuded an almost laughable silent-film-era villainy. The dances of the slaves and Saracen musicians were eye-popping fun as well.

For breathtaking beauty there was a gorgeous tableau for the female corps that enveloped Raymonda. And for an exercise in glorious ethnic stylizations there were the wedding dances: a seductive Saracen duet danced by Yulia Lunkina and Denis Medvedev; a radiant mazurka led by Anna Antropova and Georgy Geraskin, and a vivid Hungarian dance led by Yulianna Malkhasyants and Timofey Lavrenyuk. All were rendered with the panache and visual splendor that are quintessentially Bolshoi.