SOMETIMES, IT JUST feels good to see one of the classic old dinosaurs roar to life and prance across the stage in all its overblown glory, just as God and Rodgers and Hammerstein intended.

That, alone, makes Diablo Light Opera Company's production of "Carousel," which opened Friday, worth seeing. With big, old shows like this, at least half the fun is in the spectacle, and with its enormous cast, stunning costumes and sets, and a lavish orchestra, DLOC parties like it's 1945 -- the year the piece originally opened on Broadway.

In many ways, "Carousel" holds up better than most R&H collaborations, especially the earlier ones, which now seem so dated (even "The Sound of Music" has felt a little creaky in recent revivals).

But "Carousel," with its dark themes and anti-hero leading man, still has a contemporary feel to it.

I still have trouble buying Billy Bigelow (in this case, David Sattler) simply because he is angry, violent and stupid, and very hard to like.

There always seems to be more sin than redemption in the show; although the whole thing is supposed to be about Billy doing something kind to win a place in heaven.

If you're not familiar with the piece, here's a thumbnail: Billy is a womanizing, low-level thug, who is operating a carousel in a small New England town, when he meets and goes head over heels for Julie Jordan (Elizabeth Hunter), a sweet, innocent mill worker, who falls equally hard for the bad boy.

Her friend Carrie Pipperidge (Sharon Sprecher) also falls in love at the same time, only with Enoch Snow (Robin Taylor), the sort of guy who would make a Brooks Brothers mannequin look unkempt. Naturally, Carrie and Enoch settle into a clockwork marriage, with new children annually and a budget for everything.

Julie, on the other hand, finds herself being hit by Billy, who is either unable or unwilling to find work and ends up dying in the arms of his pregnant wife after stabbing himself following an unsuccessful robbery.

After the tearful farewell, he finds himself at the back door of heaven, looking for a way to get in. And that's where he gets his second chance.

Billy returns to Earth to attempt to win his halo and wings, and the affection of the daughter he never knew.

Fortunately, "Carousel" is blessed with what is one of the finest scores in musical-comedy history, not only songs like "If I Loved You," "June is Bustin' Out All Over" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" but some innovative musical approaches, including Billy's "Soliloquy," when he muses on what having a child might be like, and the anguished and touching "Carousel Ballet," danced beautifully by Louise Bigelow (Emily Vartanian), the daughter, as the spirit of her father looks on.

There are some impressive moments in the show, which was directed by Sue Ellen Nelsen.

The overture, directed by Alexander Katsman, launches the musical in a regal style and gives way to an evocative introduction to the small town in pantomime, played against the orchestration of "The Carousel Waltz." Hunter and Sattler are truly impressive in their "If I Loved You" duet, and Sprecher and Taylor deliver "When the Children Are Asleep" with droll aplomb.

The show suffers a bit from some shaky acting and some unwise stylistic choices (like having only a handful of the characters speak in New England dialects). But in all, the DLOC production is a worthy revival of the musical.

Few companies have the resources to mount a show this large, and having the large cast in the lush setting really does make a difference as it demonstrates just how spectacular these old musicals can be.

Pat Craig is the Times theater critic.