When done properly, “Fiddler on the Roof” has a spectrum of ingredients that make one laugh, cry and appreciate the struggles of Jews in villages in Russia as immortalized by the Sholem Aleichem stories. In this production, the added wrap-around intro and closing are superfluous. Sheldon Harnick, at 91 the survivor of the creative team and fortunately able to experience and enjoy this remarkable revival, was right in reportedly fighting against the change, but also right to finally acquiesce, as a protracted hassle would only detract from the wonderful whole and the alterations amount to only a blip.

The addition involves Burstein first appearing in a modern red coat, with a sign above saying Anatevka, which he may be meant to be visiting. He then slips into the role of dairyman Tevye to ignite the show. At the conclusion, as the Jews are forced to trek out of Anatevka as refugees, he has donned the coat again and taken a place among the trudging refugees, thereby reminding us of the current tragedy of new refugees. But surely the power of the show speaks for itself, as art should, and an aware audience can make the connection without the need for a contrived exclamation point.

Although unnecessary, the gimmick is minor and not in need of protracted discussion. Burstein and the rest of the splendid cast do their part in showing us once more what a major accomplishment the musical continues to be. So do the contributions by set designer Michael Yeargan, who keeps the effect simple and impressionistic rather than elaborate and realistic; costume designer Catherine Zuber, who hits the mark on period and place; hair and wig designer Tom Watson; lighting designer Donald Holder; sound designer Scott Lehrer; music director Ted Sperling, who has provided new orchestrations, and all others who had an important hand in the production.

Burstein gives us a very complex Tevye. His prodding conversations with God reveal him to be religious, but are tempered with humor. He is rigid in his Jewish beliefs and practices, as reflected in his wanting to dictate whom his daughters marry. Although he relents sometimes, he is unyielding in not wanting a daughter to marry a gentile, especially in the face of the persecution inflicted upon the Jews by Russian gentiles. Tevye can be clever in trying to handle his authoritative wife Golde and preserve the traditional role of a man being the master of the house. He weighs situations carefully with his “on the one hand” and “on the other hand” reflections. Burstein communicates all such elements, and he also steadily manages to reveal a strong, likable and caring personality. He makes us believe in him as he tries to hold his family together in the face of rebellion and change heightened by outside pressures of anti-Semitism.

Jessica Hecht makes an excellent Golde, Tevye’s wife, often brittle, but clearly trying to make the best of a difficult life, The “Do You Love Me?” number, one of the show’s finest, that she and Tevye sing can bring tears to one’s eyes. On the other hand, “Tevye’s Dream,” elaborately and smartly staged, by which Tevye convinces Golde of relatives coming back from the dead in order to manipulate her into agreeing to the marriage of daughter Tzeitel to the lad of her choice, is uproariously funny.

Alexandra Silber, Samantha Massell and Melanie Moore are excellent as lead daughters Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava. (The younger ones, Shprintze and Bielke, are nicely played by Jenny Rose Baker and Hayley Feinstein.) Alix Korey as Yente the matchmaker succeeds in rendering the character amusingly typical without descending into caricature. Adam Kantor is sympathetically timid as the tailor Motel, Ben Rappaport is passionate as Perchik, the radical, idealistic student, and Adam Dannheisser makes a colorful Lazar Wolf, the local butcher who is thwarted in his deal to marry Tzeitel. Karl Kenzler does a good job as the Russian Constable balancing his efforts to be friendly toward Jews but carrying out his role in following Czarist orders for persecution.