The Utah Symphony's annual "Yuletide Joy" concert Friday was one of those performances that is review-proof.

Three experienced Broadway singers singing Christmas favorites, an accomplished orchestra playing easy, familiar tunes (with a sprinkling of dramatic stuff thrown in to make things interesting), a bit of slapstick, an audience in a holiday mood — well, even a grinch would have a hard time not enjoying himself.

Soprano Jan Horvath, tenor Michael Maguire and baritone Doug LaBrecque displayed formidable voices while performing tunes ranging from the frothy ("Santa Baby") to the powerful ("Do You Hear What I Hear") to the let-your-hair-down-and-groove ("Children Go Where I Send Thee").

Horvath and LaBrecque, especially, inhabited their numbers with their whole heart and soul.

Horvath's voice appeared to originate all the way down in her toes, making its way up and possessing her body before finally emanating from her mouth. And LaBrecque, he of the cheerful, smiling countenance, brought down the house with his uncharacteristically dark rendition of "Music of the Night" from "Phantom of the Opera."

Maguire, while the owner of a rare voice, was — outwardly at least — a bit more casual in performance.

As for the orchestra, well, let us just say this: Regular patrons of the Utah Symphony hear that group play some very difficult pieces — heavy, demanding, challenging stuff that takes both musician and audience right to the edge of musical experience.

While there is a special satisfaction in experiencing that sort of thing, it is nonetheless nice once in a while to hear the orchestra play lighter tunes. In the hands of the symphony, the tunes Friday were perfect. The musicians didn't need to play the notes with such nuance, carry the phrasing so impeccably, end with such exactness — these were, for the most part, simple Christmas carols — but they did it anyway.

It was like watching Baryshnikov tap dance.

There was plenty of comedy and variety over the course of the evening, enough to keep even the casual symphonygoer entertained. Consider the Mozartian (and Wagnerian) version of "Let It Snow" or the symphonically accompanied reading of "T'was the Night Before Christmas" or the unannounced but surely not unexpected appearance of the jolly old elf himself.

Bring the kids. This, friends, is what holiday pops concerts are all about.