Dance: Style in Stuttgart

Dancers from virtually every major opera house in Europe tripped into Stuttgart. They came not to dance but to huddle in the wings and watch the latest creations of Württemberg State Opera Ballet Director John Cranko, who has built a reputation among dancers and audiences alike as the most creative young choreographer in all of Europe. At the conclusion of last week's annual Ballet Festival, the burgeoning army of Crankophiles was more enthusiastic than ever.

For openers, the company staged its pièce de résistance, a robust rendering of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, followed by a lavish, streamlined Swan Lake featuring...