Thats what the remarkably pretty Natasha Rostova feels at her first opera, surrounded by women in silks and pearls and men in uniform.

Actually she doesnt say those lines but sings them in Natasha, Pierre the Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloys improbably wonderful electro-pop opera based on part of War and Peace.

Turns out that Tolstoys introspective, emotional, impetuous characters take remarkably well to the pop-song format, which doesnt seem at all false and just the usual amount of unnatural.

And so it makes sense to be crowded together with them at Ars Nova s theater, which Mr.

Malloy and the director, Rachel Chavkin, have turned into a kind of Russian nightclub, packed with tables, a portrait of Napoleon hanging over the bar.

Na zdorovie This isnt just theater in the round, its theater all around you.

Ms. Chavkin stages most of the action on risers lining the walls, but the performers sometimes take to the ground, deftly weaving among the tables.

They manage to keep their bearings even when a strobe light flashes or during a drunken line dance.

Image Natasha, Pierre amp; the Great Comet of 1812 Amelia Workman, left; Phillipa Soo, center; and the playwright-accordionist Dave Malloy at Ars Nova.

Natasha (Phillipa Soo) meets Anatole (Lucas Steele) at the opera in a scene that serves as a good example of the shows artistry.

Mr. Malloys music for his opera-within-an-opera is eerie, funny and strangely beautiful.

Ms. Chavkin and Ms.

Soo show us the artless Natasha falling under its spell.

Then Mr. Steeles Anatole, a beautifully false and unnatural creature, struts through the theater in his uniform.

Sometimes the lyrics narrate the action and sometimes they step back to comment more generally.

In 19th-century Russia we write lettersWe write letters.) When the characters sing their thoughts, Mr.

Malloys choice of music seems especially savvy: If the paunchy Pierre were only a twig, hed be an excellent emo boy with his sad refrain of I used to be better.

Ms. Chavkin gets excellent performances from her cast, who do double duty singing and acting.

Mr. Steeles Anatole and Ms.

Soos Natasha are particularly fine, as is Amber Grays insinuating Hlne (Pierres wife, Anatoles sister).

The six-person band also deserves kudos, as does Paloma Young, whose costumes are just right.

After the long, occasionally boozy evening, you might expect fatigue.

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