That moment made the long slog through Pacific Northwest Ballet’s second repertory program of the season worth it. That PNB still offers such digital programming to far-flung fans after the cessation of the pandemic is a continuing surprise, and a gift not to be taken lightly. Still, this was not a program that played well on camera (and one wonders how it felt in person at McCaw Hall). On paper, it promised artistic daring, discovery, and pathos: a world premiere by a still-green choreographer, Dani Rowe; an encore performance of a highly personal and timely work by a world-renowned choreographer, Alexei Ratmansky; and a large ensemble finale by a masterful choreographer who deserves to be better known, Donald Byrd. But for artistic director Peter Boal to bundle all that under a theme of mourning was risky, indeed. It is a bit of a miracle when an artist manages to bring the audience inside painful feelings. In the absence of that miracle the potential for disconnect is high.

Rowe is a former Nederlands Dans Theater and Australian Ballet dancer, recently named the new artistic director of Oregon Ballet Theatre. She made a stunning, sensual duet early in her choreographic career: “For Pixie,” set to Nina Simone’s powerful recording of “Wild Is the Wind.” Her large ensemble romp for San Francisco Ballet this past February, “Madcap,” was impressively odd and inventive, creating a world in which a sad clown suffers existential crisis. Unfortunately, it has two weaknesses: It’s about 30 percent too long, and it’s choreographed to merely serviceable commissioned music.