The Metropolitan Opera is to present two company premieres and three new productions during the 1997-98 season.

But a company premiere of a 73-year-old work stole the two-day show.

His piece was the sole company premiere on the program.

The ballet, which received its company premiere, is a condensed version of a longer work created in 1992.

That left the repertory dominated by revivals and company premieres of older works.

Since its company premiere on Jan. 5, 1884, it has been presented 866 times in 76 seasons.

Other than this company premiere, the focus was on 10 excerpts from the current repertory.

The ballet, which had its company premiere on Wednesday night, will be performed again tomorrow afternoon.

She was also in seven new productions at the Met, four of which were company premieres.

Planned before his death, this season included company premieres along these lines.