It appears to be Pushkin season in Baltimore. Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," based on Alexander Pushkin's verse novel, is being performed by the Baltimore Opera Company, and a block away, at the Theatre Project, Pushkin-philes can see the great Russian writer's "The Little Tragedies" performed by the Stanislavsky Theatre Studio.

Based in Silver Spring, the troupe was founded in 1997 by theater artists who emigrated from the former Soviet Union. The company has a movement-oriented approach, which ties in nicely with the dream-or-nightmare quality of the four short pieces that make up "The Little Tragedies." The result is a production that is often stunning visually, despite some confusing patches.

Along with dance -- both ballet and modern -- the four pieces rely heavily on pantomime. There is also some recorded narration and spoken dialogue, but theatergoers would be wise to read the printed synopses beforehand. Otherwise, for example, it would probably be difficult to make sense of the fate of the title character (Paata Tsikurishvili) in "The Miserly Knight," who dies crushed by the weight of his own gold.

This opening piece sets the tone for the rich imagery that characterizes the work of this expressive company. This imagery is created not by scenery (of which there is very little), but by the movements of the performers.

For instance, when first seen, Albert (Andrei Malaev-Babel), the miser's son, is eating at a table formed by two kneeling dancers holding a taut piece of fabric. When Albert falls asleep, they drape the fabric around him. A few minutes later, the two dancers are joined by a third, and they each become a human candle, their hands flickering like flames.

The second piece, "Mozart and Salieri," is the most familiar, but the least imaginatively staged. Besides the story's similarity to the play and subsequent movie, "Amadeus," the rivalry between the two composers is also the subject of a Rimsky-Korsakov opera. The Stanislavsky version begins with Teymuraz Tsaguriya's Salieri performing an aria from that opera. He is then visited by Mozart, whose youth and silliness are well conveyed by the boyish Malaev-Babel.

But instead of the Stanislavsky Theatre's otherwise fluid staging, Salieri spends far too much time standing stock still, staring at a statue of Mozart. And, shrouding Malaev-Babel in black cloth to indicate Mozart's death is a silly, awkward effect.

In contrast, the next piece, "Don Juan (The Stone Guest)," demonstrates how creatively the company can deal with a statue. In this case, it's portrayed by a dancer completely sheathed in white jersey, which also sheathes the statue's pedestal. "Don Juan" is also the only part of the program to incorporate humor, which surfaces in the lively interplay between Don Juan (Tsikurishvili) and his faithful servant, Leporello (Malaev-Babel).

The concluding piece, "The Feast During the Plague," is not synopsized, so the details are sketchy. But there's no mistaking the arrival of a Grim Reaper-like figure who literally breaks up the feast by entangling the diners in their own tablecloth, which then turns into a death wagon.

Directed by Malaev-Babel and Tsikurishvili, with choreography by Irina Tsikurishvili, who is also one of the performers, "The Little Tragedies" is kind of a hybrid of ballet, opera and mime. The theater troupe takes its name from the late Russian director, actor and teacher, Konstantin Stanislavsky. However, its use of multiple disciplines will come as an eye-opening surprise to American theatergoers who know Stanislavsky solely as the influence behind the acting style known as "the Method."

'Little Tragedies'

Where: Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St. When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays. Through April 11 Tickets: $15 Call: 410-752-8558