The film "An American in Paris" was released in 1951 — so it's hard to believe that this is the first time a stage musical version has come to Broadway. But it was definitely worth waiting for.

There were plenty of nonsense musicals from that era, but this isn't one of them. Yes, the plot is a bit silly: a World War II veteran falls in love with first Paris and then a French girl after the war, only to discover that his two best friends are also in love — with the same girl. A love triangle (or in this case, a love quadrilateral) is pretty standard mid-century-musical fare.

But nothing about "An American in Paris" is merely standard. The haunting (and by now, well-known) music is from George and Ira Gershwin, for example — and the story in this production, especially, is really secondary to the gut-punch power of dance. The wandering vet, Jerry, is played by Robert Fairchild, a principal dancer with the New York City ballet. His love, Lise, is portrayed by Leanne Cope, a First Artist of the Royal Ballet.

The story was re-conceived by writer Craig Lucas and directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, a well-known ballet choreographer.

All of this means that this is not just a boy-(and boy-and boy-) meets-girl story. It's a physical embodiment of love, joy, anger, regret that transcends the toe-tapping, familiar songs ('S Wonderful! 'S Marvelous!) and becomes something deeply universal.

This is helped along by some revisions to the original book. The story now starts before the war is over, so that the fear and despair that characterized Vichy France is a sharp contrast to the Technicolor happiness of the prosperous post-war era. And the character of the piano player (Brandon Uranowitz) is now Jewish, which adds poignancy. 

It's not just the dancing, though. You might gasp with joy when you first see Michael Yeargan's sets scribbling themselves to life, thanks to clever projections. They evoke Paris not as it is, but as we all dream it to be. 

There are a couple weak spots. Fairchild's voice, for example, won't wow you. But honestly, they don't matter. This is a ravishing production that will sweep you up in its arms right from the first notes.