Remember that scene in “Zorba the Greek” when the relatives invade the house of someone they believe has just died and begin to haul away possessions, only to find that the “corpse” is still alive? Well, the same fate awaited the opera “Il Viaggio a Reims,” except that the ghoul at the door was Gioachino Rossini.

Writing on commission for the coronation of Charles X of France, the composer almost immediately wanted to dismember the piece and use four of its big numbers, including the lively allegro spiritoso ending of Act I, for his new comic opera, “Le Comte Ory.” Rossini therefore killed “Reims” after three or four performances, never to promote it again. It took 160 years for a reconstruction to surface in England.

A pity, since the excellent New York City Opera revival of Rossini’s last theater piece in Italian demonstrates that the original work, in the right hands, is an absolute delight. There is really no story: An assortment of potential guests traveling to the aforementioned coronation cannot leave the inn where they are staying. It doesn’t matter why they can’t leave; what does matter is that they amuse themselves by performing superb bel canto singing.

Two of last season’s stars dazzle with intensely emotional cavatinas and lively and dexterous cabalettas. Heather Buck, who portrayed Haroun in the world premiere of the Wuorinen opera, is back center stage. In Thursday night’s season premiere of “Il Viaggio,” she proved that she was a marvelous singer all along – she just needed some beautiful music with which to work. Maria Kanyova, a knockout Violetta last year, took us on a roller-coaster ride of enchantingly embroidered ornamental singing. And check your Guinness record book: There is an ensemble for 14 solo singers, known as the quattordicimino, that will blow you away.

There are only five performances of “Viaggio” and, because of the vagaries of the newspaper business, two of them are now already gone. I heartily recommend that you make the effort to get over to Lincoln Center for this high-octane swirl of pure entertainment. That is, if you can manage to get out of the house.

“Il Viaggio a Reims” will be performed again October 1, 4 & 7 (Lincoln Center, 212-870-5630).