ST. PETERSBURG — Valery Gergiev to create a ballet to a Stravinsky score for the Kirov Ballet last spring, 28-year-old Canadian choreographer Peter Quanz chose Stravinsky’s “Symphony in C.” It is a magnificent piece of music but was sure to be challenging for a Russian company, as a kinetic translation of this turbulent, rhythmically dense and unpredictable score almost inevitably would be. Mr. Quanz’s “Aria Suspended” was given three performances in July and returned to the Kirov repertory last week, where I saw it for the first time.

The ballet unfolds a romantic odyssey told from the woman’s point of view, without becoming overly literal. The ballerina is the constant throughout the ballet, partnering with a different man duringceach of the first three movements of Stravinsky’s score. Her emotional arc begins with a moody and mercurial companion, then moves to a grand passion, before a retreat to carefree frivolity. A large male and female ensemble, continuously in flux, is crucial throughout, and, in the concluding Largo, all the men and episodes merge and suggest a recollection of things past.

The ballerina’s role in “Aria Suspended,” as well as the male soloist in the opening, Moderato alla breve movement, are among the richest created by a contemporary choreographer. But the ballet is packed with steps and directional changes that are different from what the Kirov is accustomed, and the company has yet to master this work.

Created by Victoria Tereshkina, the ballerina role was danced last week by Ekaterina Osmolkina. I have seen Ms. Osmolkina dance since 2001, and, though she is talented with a pretty line and strong technique, I still haven’t grasped who she is or who she might ideally be. She interprets so many different roles and dances so many performances that she has yet to manifest whatever authentic individuality she may possess. (At her first “Aria Suspended,” last July, she also danced Sanguinic in Balanchine’s “The Four Temperaments.”) Her role here is mostly allegro, which she dispatched handily, but her duet with her putative grand amour Andre Yermakov counted for very little when it could and should mean a great deal.

This was Mr. Yermakov’s second “Aria Suspended.” He is tall and good looking and may in time become an excellent partner. But right now he is very green, which perhaps contributed the perfunctory nature of their encounter. (Mr. Yermakov also dances too much; he reappeared after “Aria Suspended” to perform one of the cavaliers in Balanchine’s “Serenade.”)

At this performance, Vasili Scherbakov made his debut as the first movement soloist, whose choreography alternates between small and rapid steps, slow and sinuous weight changes, and space-devouring forays, as well as intervals of magisterial summing up. Although Mr. Quanz had Mr. Scherbakov in mind when he created the role, the dancer had difficulty mastering it to the choreographer’s satisfaction in time for the July premiere. At his debut last week, Mr. Scherbakov’s performance still evinced some struggle, but he eloquently illuminated the role’s nuances and tonal shifts. Not yet entirely within his comfort zone, this role is nevertheless a perfect portrait of Mr. Scherbakov’s dance personality. Mr. Quanz appraises his interpreters insightfully.

The third movement Allegretto soloist was Alexei Nedviga, who had also danced it once last July. There are some novel twists to this role, but for the most part it consists of more conventionally virtuoso material than that given to Mr. Scherbakov and Mr. Yermakov. Mr. Nedviga danced it with a youthful ease and enthusiasm that wasn’t overdone, and didn’t turn cute.

But it is not entirely fair to criticize any of the dancers because their work was all but upended by the orchestra, which gave what was really a shocking performance considering the Kirov’s customarily high musical standards. “Aria Suspended” began its life auspiciously when Maestro Gergiev himself conducted the July 7 premiere, but at this performance the orchestra was out of time, out of tune, and the tempi chosen by conductor Mikhail Aghrest were either unduly slow or unduly fast. The dancers were at times visibly discomfited, and the corps work frequently ragged. Mr. Gergiev has said, however, that the work will be performed frequently this season and that he will again conduct some of the performances.