It is 1901 in the British town of Loxford, and pillars of local society are looking for a Queen of the May. The schoolmarm, the vicar, the mayor and the constable suggest candidates to the autocratic Lady Billows, but the Lady's maid has researched each one and found her wanting in virtue. In desperation they choose a King of the May: a shy mama's boy named Albert Herring, who promptly uses his prize money to spend a boozy, sex-filled night on the town.

		'Albert Herring' Where: Carnegie Mellon School of Music, Philip Chosky Theater, Oakland. When: 8 tonight and 2:30 p.m. tomorrow . Tickets: $15 full price, $12 seniors and $10 students; 412-268-2407.

This is the premise of Benjamin Britten's comic masterpiece, "Albert Herring," revived this week by Carnegie Mellon opera students in the splendid little Chosky Theater in Purnell Center. Carnegie Mellon has a tradition with this work, which has turned up regularly in opera workshop performances since the early '70s at least. A new go at "Albert," -- with a libretto by Eric Crozier, adapted from a story by Guy de Maupassant -- is always welcome, even if this year's crop of undergraduate singers is finding Britten's vocal demands pretty rough going.

The best musical element is the 13-piece orchestra, which did yeomen's work at Thursday's opening under the baton of Robert Page. (Jeffrey Turner takes over as conductor tonight, and Jeffrey Grossman conducts tomorrow's 2:30 matinee). It's a tricky, subtle score, with musical parody references that range from Wagner's "Tristan" to bel canto opera and British patriotic songs. Not only the perky interludes, but most importantly, the underpinning of the vocal lines have a professionalism and security that is only intermittently achieved onstage.

Gregory Lehane's staging has many good ideas. The caricature marches of the five priggish civic leaders are enhanced by Nikki Delhomme's colorful costumes, notably her funny wigs and hats. The vitality of the children's games and the chemistry between the romantic pair, Sid (Art Miller) and Nancy (Melanie Goerlitz, the night I attended) keep things going at a lively pace.

Among the fledgling singers, Miller and Goerlitz show the most genuine operatic potential, but Warren Carr uses his smallish but well-produced tenor cannily to make the most of the words. His diction is the clearest of any in the cast, and he has a flair for comedy. Lady Billows and her crowd were less adept vocally, although they acted well in ensemble and joined the entire cast for a splendid climactic threnody -- a pungent parody of Purcell -- just before Albert returns from his night of escapades.