Leonard Bernstein loved the music of Charles Gounod. So much so, in fact, that he stole two of the composer’s biggest numbers and made them his own. The most creative borrower since Rossini, Bernstein fashioned, virtually note for note, the song “I Feel Pretty” out of Gounod’s “Je veux vivre” from “Romeo et Juliette” and from “The Jewel Song” of Faust, he created, well, “The Jewel Song” of Candide. The difference between the two updated versions is that “West Side Story” contains much inventive tunesmithing, whereas in “Candide,” this one event is virtually the only purely musical highlight.

Once I got over my disappointment that Dick Cavett did not come out after the overture, I settled in to experience New York City Opera’s “Candide,” the first presentation of its “second season.” Before reviewing the actual performance, I must first praise the company for not even attempting to pass this effort off as an opera, hiring instead an entire cast from Broadway, a good 20 blocks south of Lincoln Center.

In the 1950s, only Leonard Bernstein could get away with entitling the big number “Glitter and Be Gay,” but now the show seems a bit dated and tired. You don’t actually have to remember Sherman Adams and the vicuna coat, but much of the feel for the era is simply lost on modern audiences, a fact borne out by the lack of laughter at Tuesday evening’s official opening. The only group that could possibly save this revival from itself would have to be exceptional and top drawer. And, in the main, this cast was both.

It was positively inspirational for City Opera to hire only song-and-dance people for this extravaganza. The misguided notion that opera singers are preferable for this type of spoof is a common and overused one. Take the character of Doctor Pangloss. John Cullum was comfortable in the role, never taking it, or the work as a whole, too seriously. Contrast this with last season’s reverent mounting by the Philharmonic starring Thomas Allen. It is simply a matter of orientation: While Sir Thomas was presenting Brahms lieder in recital a few years ago, Mr. Cullum was starring in “Urinetown.”

Keeping it light allowed this production to flow. Keith Jameson seemed wonderful in the title role, fresh of face and voice and nimble of foot. He appears to be of the Irish tenor school, complete with sweet intonations and masterly management of emotions. The deuced amplification system, however, tended to switch volumes rather radically at the least opportune times – this phenomenon also plagued last fall’s “Cinderella” – and so any thoughtful evaluation of his vocal talents is speculative at best.

You don’t have to be Jewish to understand Bernstein, but it helps. Judy Kaye, as the Old Lady, delivered an insider’s wickedly enjoyable “I Am Easily Assimilated,” certainly the best individual bit of theatrics in the show, but overdid the yenta part a tad during the spoken sections. Kyle Pfortmiller was superb as Maximilian, the narcissistic, hilarious, self-loathing self-portrait of the composer himself. Stacey Logan looked delicious as Paquette and delivered her “mini jewel song” on the desert island with considerable more panache and proper pitch control than the night’s Cunegonde.

This troubled piece having only one truly memorable moment, the production quite correctly centered on it. The staging, lighting, costuming, and ensemble acting all reinforced the anticipatory feel of the famous tune, but alas Anna Christy was a disappointment. Her inability to stay on pitch was quite surprising, though her tendency to sing a bit higher than the printed note made for a nice contrast to most divas, who are often flat. Her “Jewel Song” was as hard and unfeeling as the subject matter itself. There is an element of satire built in to these utterances, but her at tempts at vocalise bordered on the painful.

The Harold Prince production was thrilling and a special mention needs to go to stage director Arthur Masella, who moved everything along with refreshing creativity. I will not reveal any of the coups de theatre – of which there were many – since I do not want to spoil their surprise. Suffice it to say that the stodgy Metropolitan next door would never dream of involving its audience in this satisfying level of intimacy.

In Otto Preminger’s rather dreadful film of “Porgy and Bess,” the vocals of Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, and Diahann Carroll were all dubbed by opera singers. The only character allowed to sing his own role was the Sportin’ Life of Sammy Davis Jr. Not surprisingly, Davis delivered the only performance that is true to the spirit of the Gershwin original, totally stealing the show with his “Ain’t Necessarily So.” If you must revive “Candide” yet again, then this type of fresh musical comedy cast is certainly the inspired choice.

In the best of all possible worlds for me, however, the score should remain firmly locked in the attic. City Opera’s best efforts did in fact glitter, but they are definitely not gold.

“Candide” will be performed again tonight at 7:30 p.m., March 11 at 8 p.m., March 12 at 1:30 p.m. & 8 p.m., March 16 at 7:30 p.m., March 18 at 8 p.m., and March 19 at 1:30 p.m & 8 p.m. (Lincoln Center, 212-307-4100).