If it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – and New Year’s Eve – it must be “Die Fledermaus” time. And so it is, at the Metropolitan Opera. On Monday night, the company started up a run of Johann Strauss Jr.’s classic operetta, in the marvelous Otto Schenk production (1986). This production has the dialogue in English, and the singing in the original German – a smart arrangement. Rarely do you have so much fun in an opera house, as when you imbibe the Schenk “Fledermaus.”

I ask a parlor-room question: Is “Die Fledermaus” the best operetta – or does that honor go to that Widow? Anyway, one can enjoy both.

The Met’s current cast is certainly enjoyable, and I’ll start with the women. In the role of Rosalinde, or Mrs. Eisenstein,is Sondra Radvanovsky, the soprano from Illinois. Ms. Radvanovsky excels in Verdi,and she often sounded Verdian as Rosalinde. On those high notes, she could have been Leonora (from “La Forza del Destino” or “Il Trovatore,” take your pick). It was a pleasure to hear this music in so big and opulent a voice.Ms.Radvanovsky’s czardas, in Act II, was Hungarian-hot.

And she was throwing Cs and Ds all over the place,including the D the show ended on.

Ms. Radvanovsky did not prove the most natural comic actress, but she was game and passable.

A winning comic actress was the soprano in the role of Adele, the Eisensteins’ chambermaid. That was Marlis Petersen, a German, who was all the more charming in her dialogue for that accent. She sang easily, although she had trouble with pitch in the early going. Her “laughing song” in Act II was just right: not too hammy, not too straight. And her high D at the end was almost there.

Her Act III aria – about wanting to be an actress – was pure delight. Ms. Petersen was making her Met debut, and it would be interesting to see her in other roles.

For Prince Orlofsky, the Met had a real wower: the Russian mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko. Two seasons ago, she was so hot as Maddalena in the Met’s “Rigoletto,” you almost had to call the fire department. The title over the review in this paper? “Enter the Assassin’s Sister.”

She was a compelling young prince too, and the Russian accent was entirely unforced! She strutted her pulpy mezzo, and in general smoked her way through the evening. She smokes even when she’s bored, as Orlofsky is.

And now, to the men: As Eisenstein, the Met had just about the best on offer, the Danish baritone Bo Skovhus. He is also prized as Danilo in “The Merry Widow.” Mr. Skovhus is a serious musician, giving an excellent lieder recital, etc. Why is he so prized for these operetta roles?

Well, begin with the looks: He is matinee-idol handsome, a Dudley Do-Right, sort of an Alfred Drake of the opera house. He has a light touch, but never an obnoxious touch. When he spoke his lines on Monday night, he sounded a lot like the governor of California, and charmingly so. He is also a neat dancer.

And, as a singer – oh, yes, there’s singing in “Die Fledermaus” – he was utterly commanding.

Portraying Falke, who organizes the fabulous trick of this show, was Earle Patriarco, an engaging singing actor who does a good Figaro, in the Rossini opera. He was slightly strained in his acting on this occasion – trying a tad too hard – but he was adequate,and he sang smoothly. Sometimes gleamingly.

Doing the job of Frank, the prison warden, was big John Del Carlo, who is an accomplished character singer. In “Die Fledermaus,” he looked marvelous, and sounded marvelous – totally filling the bill.

How about Alfred, who, when he sings, makes Rosalinde’s heart go pitty pat? He was Janez Lotricy, a tenor from Slovenia, home of many a singer. Like Marlis Petersen, he had some trouble with pitch early on – worse trouble – but he got (basically) on track, and he had the right spirit of fun.

Bernard Fitch was effective as Dr. Blind,the stuttering lawyer – but there is something about stuttering jokes that’s especially painful.Those jokes – almost uniquely on this evening – fell flat. (None of this is Mr. Fitch’s fault, of course.)

And making his Met debut in the role of Frosch, the jailer, was … Bill Irwin, the famous clown. I’m not offending him: It’s just that he’s a professional clown, among (many) other things. He won a Tony this year, for his efforts in Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and, 20 years ago, he won a MacArthur “genius grant.”

He certainly won the crowd on Monday night, with his rubbery body, Sergeant Schultz accent, and honed timing. And Mr. Irwin is undeniably hilarious. For me, however, he was a bit over the top, and perhaps falls in that category of “intolerable genius.” (Jim Carrey sometimes resides there.) I might also say that Act III was unusually – and unnecessarily – vulgar.

Managing all this in the pit was Jacques Lacombe, a Quebecker who is principal guest conductor of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He performed ably. But the conductor should really shine in Strauss’s overture, and here he wasn’t so good. The orchestra lacked a full sound, which was puzzling. And altogether the overture should have had more style, more panache – more gaiety, for one thing, along with more precision. But it ended with oomph, which was something.

Johann Strauss Jr. is something, too. Remarkable, to have written a little farce of an operetta in 1874, going fantastically strong in 2005.

“Die Fledermaus” will be performed again December 22, 26, 29 & 31, and January 4 & 7.