THE MUSIC MAN at ROCHESTER OPERA HOUSE

"A Valentine to All' is how Meredith Willson described his musical, and the Rochester Opera House production of "The Music Man" is just that — a vibrant show that is a crisp, energetic story of love and redemption.

Rochester Opera House's production is a lovely romantic show led by Michael Coppola as Harold Hill. Coppola's Hill is a handsome devil whose charm and energy seduce the people of River City. Coppola is superb, with his seemingly effortless portrayal that is full of humor and grace. He sings and dances his way not only into the hearts of the citizens of River City, but also into the hearts of the audience.

The rest of the cast follows suit. Anna Richardson as Marian Paroo has the voice of an angel. Her pure, sweet voice gives depth to the yearning of Marian for someone in her life that could meet her intelligence. Coppola and Richardson are lovely together ... they have a tenderness for each other which is captivating and their duet, "Till There Was You," on the footbridge with the night sky and the twinkling stars in the background is alone worth the price of admission.

The supporting cast doesn't miss a beat. Robert Collinge II is a joy to watch, as Hill's friend Marcellus Washburn, when he sings and dances in his loose-limbed way, as the more frantic character in direct opposition to his friend Hill's more controlled character. The teenager love interests Tommy Djilas, played by Joshua Paul Moore, and Zaneeta Shin, played by Nellie Teeling, are adorable. They light up the stage with their dance numbers as they portray teenagers in love with abandon.

This show works well and that is because of the direction and choreography by Kelli Leigh-Ann Connors. Connors keeps the action going and moves effortlessly from scene to scene using all parts of the stage and proscenium. There are seamless shifts between a dramatic moment and then a musical number with a bit of humor (this is especially wonderful use of the Barbershop quartet) and large dance numbers that highlight some of the bit characters.

The costumes, by Ronda Verges, are perfect reflections of the garish look of the time. The embellishments are eye-catching.

The set, by James Gerard Craven, is perfect. The set pieces move off and on the stage effortlessly and they provide a feast for the eyes during the dance numbers. The drops serve to emphasize the location of River City and are simply done in a way that adds to the depth but doesn't clash with all the vibrantly costumed people on stage.

Lighting design by Kelly Gibson is nuanced and subtle. It is especially poignant in the scenes where Hill and the Paroo family are involved, emphasizing the complex emotions of the characters.

This musical uses recorded music rather than live musicians. This is not the norm for musicals, but as the show progressed it was apparent that this particular show would be fine and this is because of the skill of the sound design by Jeremy Arsenault.

Rochester Opera House's production of "The Music Man" is the perfect way to start the holiday season. This musical of love, acceptance and new starts is heartwarming as well as entertaining.

Performances continue Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 15. Tickets are $18-$22; $12 for those 12 and under. Call 335-1992 or visit www.rochesteroperahouse.com.