After the sparse modernity of the Bolshoi Ballet's new production of "Romeo and Juliet," given its West Coast premiere Wednesday night at the Paramount Theatre, the company's "Don Quixote," which ran the full weekend, is a sumptuous survey of classical ballet. And so it was danced Saturday afternoon with brilliant elan by dozens upon dozens of dancers. This is the Bolshoi one wants to see.

Vaguely based on Cervantes' novel of the same name, the ballet began life at the Bolshoi in 1869, with choreography by Marius Petipa, long associated with the Maryinsky Theater. Alexander Gorsky revised the four acts and eight scenes of the original ballet in 1900, followed by many revisions. The current production gives proper credit to Petipa and Gorsky, but now Alexei Fadeyechev, former leading dancer and one-time artistic director, is given the starring choreographic role with miscellaneous credits to a few others. There are a prologue, three acts and six scenes.

Some 19th-century ballets, so central to the canon of the artform, are known in Seattle because they have been done by Pacific Northwest Ballet. "Don Quixote," in American Ballet Theatre's version, is among them, although only recently. The ballet is something of a relic from another day, with its unending series of dance numbers -- solos, duets, trios, ensembles -- laced with bits of mime. They can seem something of a bore taken collectively. Fadeyechev streamlined the whole ballet to a certain degree, eliminating the extraneous so even the vast smorgasbord of dance that remains seems to flow quickly and evenly. This is especially so when there is so much electric dancing on stage. A Spanish flavor is present, accented by the many capes thrown around by the men.

The set -- no credit in the program -- is as old-fashioned as old-fashioned can be, with painted backdrops, now faded in color. However, they retain some quaint charm. The costume design dates to 1906 and Vasily Dyachkov, but the costumes have been redone and look fresh and vibrant.

Anna Antonicheva was Kitri, and exhilarating she was, with plenty of steel and speed. She can spin and jump and move with uncommon alacrity. Her facility is impressive, her crystal precision exemplary -- no sloppiness, few smudges in her technique. What was lacking was poetry, warmth, appealing radiance.

Her Basilio was Yury Klevtsov, who danced Mercutio in "Romeo and Juliet" so persuasively Wednesday night. At that performance, he was all wit and charm. In "Don Quixote," he gave them up to be a danseur noble. He seemed to do everything with no effort -- huge jumps with light landings and quick-silver turns.

There should be some electricity between Kitri and Basilo -- they are passionately in love, after all -- but with Klevtsov and Antonicheva, the conversation was mostly polite.

Other dancers are worth noting: a buffo Sancho of Roman Simachev, an amusing Gamache of Viktor Alekhin, a larger-than-life Toreador of Rinat Arifulin and beautiful Mercedes of Maria Isplatovskaya. The Driad of Ekaterina Shipulina was elegant in her proportions; and Anatasia Kurkova, willowly as Amour.

Pavel Klinichev led the Bolshoi Orchestra, revealing the verve and dashing exuberance of Ludwig Minkus' score.