You couldn't wish for a better reader than Isaac Mizrahi for Sergei Prokofiev's children's classic, Peter and the Wolf. The musical fable, composed in 1936, has become a new standard for the holiday season at the Guggenheim Museum. Now in his third year at the lectern, Mizrachi owns the text and relates the story of the impulsive boy who bags the sinister predator as if he had invented it for one of his own. With expressive gestures and just the right vocal inflection on the gee-whiz moments (as when Peter ropes the wolf), he holds the audience in his hands.

Left: Stage set by members of the New Orleans-based art collective, Ya/Ya; lighting by Jennifer Tipton. Right: Isaac Mizrahi at the lectern. Photos: Peggy Roalf.

Yesterday's 4 o'clock performance attracted a very young crowd, many of whom were probably enjoying their first musical performance. The beautifully restored theater is designed for an intimate connection with the orchestra - in this case, the New Julliard Ensemble, led by the New York City Opera's George Manahan.

Only a low brass railing separates the pit from the seating. A number of youngsters stood at the rail, hanging on every note. The incredibly athletic flute passages (for the bird character) and the mighty kettle drums (for the hunters' shots), are as fascinating to watch as to hear. The fact that the musicians are young enough to be an older sibling of many in the hall has got to be by design.

The characters in the story are personified by sculptural pieces created by members of the New Orleans-based art collective, Ya/Ya. These large-scale characters, along with an embodiment of the tree that Peter lashes the wolf to, and the gate which his grandfather locks to keep the plucky boy safely inside, create a setting with folkloric appeal.

Backlit during the performance, the silhouetted constructions are reminiscent of traditional Czech cut paper art. After the performance the audience is invited onstage for a closer look, and to meet its creators, three of whom are high school students. When seen up close, the overall effect of these pieces, mainly fashioned from discarded materials, suggests pre-Holocaust Shtetl life, which was an influence on the composer and many of his contemporaries in European avant-garde circles.

The Guggenheim Museum Works & Process presents Peter & The Wolf, through Monday, December 14; performances at 4pm and 5:30 pm. Isaac Mizrahi narrates Sergei Prokofiev's children's classic. New York City Opera's George Manahan conducts the New Juilliard Ensemble, with a newly commissioned set installation created by the New Orleans-based art collective YA/YA and lighting design by Jennifer Tipton. Tickets: $30 general/25 members/$10 students. 1071 Fifth Avenue (ramp entrance to theater at 88^th Street), New York, NY. Box office: 212 423 3587. Information: 212 423 3587.