In the middle of the 1920s, Richard Strauss composed “The Egyptian Helen,” along with Hugo von Hofmannsthal, his trusty librettist. In 1928, this work had a staging at the Metropolitan Opera, with the glamorous Maria Jeritza in the title role. She appeared on the cover of Time magazine. From 1928 till last Thursday night, the opera was not heard at the Met. And when it came back, we had Deborah Voigt singing Helen, in a production by the Englishman David Fielding.

“The Egyptian Helen” is not great Strauss, but it is still Strauss, and it has high Straussian moments — particularly Helen’s aria “Zweite Brautnacht.” Leontyne Price used to sing it when she really wanted to make a splash — and, boy, did she. The music that opens the opera sounds rather like Strauss’s “Salome”; the music that closes the opera sounds like Strauss’s “Elektra,” with its crazy triumphalism. In between comes a little chromatic motive that may remind you of “Le Coq d’Or” — but that’s Rimsky-Korsakov.

Deborah Voigt had sung the role of Helen in New York before: In October 2002, she starred in a concert performance at Avery Fisher Hall, with the American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leon Botstein. This performance was recorded “live” (though I can assure you that it was touched up, having attended the concert and then listened to the recording).

Ms. Voigt, as you know, is one of the greatest Strauss singers of our time, or any time. Anyone who heard her Chrysothemis (in “Elektra”), for example, will never forget it. Her voice has changed over the years, as voices do. Never before was it subject to stridency or fraying, and never before did it have a metallic edge. But creaminess isn’t everything, and Ms. Voigt remains a formidable singer. She has bite and power to spare, as she showed on Thursday night.

Unfortunately, “Zweite Brautnacht” did not go well — Ms. Voigt can sing it tons better, and surely will before this run is through. The aria was deliberate and unrhapsodic, when it ought to soar. It had too little of the delirious abandon that Strauss affords.

Another formidable soprano took part on Thursday, and that was Diana Damrau, singing the role of Aithra. Ms. Damrau may be a coloratura — a Zerbinetta (in Strauss’s “Ariadne auf Naxos”) — but her instrument is sizable, sensuous, and penetrating. She sang wondrously, sinuously, exhibiting her uncanny technical control. What’s more, she is a fine actress — one who knows that the voice does much of the acting.

The German tenor Torsten Kerl was making his Met debut as Menelaus, but he was ailing and had to withdraw after Act I. Mr. Kerl has proven himself a worthy singer elsewhere (e.g., Salzburg), and his “real” Met debut will have to come later. Replacing him was Michael Hendrick, who was capable, if not commanding. He could not quite exploit the great lines that Strauss gives him (and Strauss is very stingy with tenors — you have to take advantage of those lines when you get them). I should note, however, that Mr. Hendrick gained in confidence as the evening wore on.

Jill Grove sang the Omniscient Seashell — yes, you read that right — as she had with Ms. Voigt in concert. She gave us her rugged, somewhat smoky mezzo, and her solid musical understanding. Ms. Grove is a singer you can bank on, in a variety of roles.

Sounding fresh, as usual, was the tenor Garrett Sorenson, as Da-ud. And, at the end of the opera, a girl who rejoices in the name of Deena Sydney Fink came out to sing the part of Hermione, child of Helen and Menelaus. She was nervous but on pitch, which was greatly to her credit.

Also to be credited is Fabio Luisi, the maestro in the pit. He is on a roll in New York, having shone in the Met’s “Simon Boccanegra” (Verdi). Could he succeed the Met’s music director, James Levine, should that sad, nearly unthinkable day ever come? Mr. Luisi led “Helen” with close to total assurance, and the orchestra played well for him. A woeful horn solo and other shaky moments were merely exceptions.

As for Mr. Fielding’s production, it is dreamy, or nightmarish — a little cuckoo, off-kilter, askew. And when I say “askew,” I mean literally, for the sets tilt. There are sci-fi touches, and the costumes are a hoot: Menelas wears a purple suit that might raise an eyebrow even in the Village. At the back of the stage is a huge, silhouetted, running figure that may be Poseidon. As someone remarked at intermission, this figure looks like the “Catch Me If You Can” guy.

I’m not sure that Mr. Fielding takes “Helen” too seriously, but then, I’m not sure that Strauss does, either.

In all, this was a good and unusual idea: the staging of “The Egyptian Helen,” almost 80 years after its Met premiere. And it was all cooked up by the “Old Met,” which, according to the new mythology, was uninteresting, stodgy, and tired. To hell with that.

Until April 7 (Lincoln Center, 212-721-6500).