PHILADELPHIA – There are many ways to appreciate the talent and musical genius of 51-year-old Pete Townshend.

There’s the songs by The Who, now staples of rock radio, the documentaries about the band and the films based on their albums. Townshend – via “Tommy” – is even on Broadway.

But perhaps the best way to appreciate Townshend is to see his other rock opera, “Quadrophenia” performed live by the band itself.

The opportunity came Sunday, with The Who performing its 1973 classic “Quadrophenia” at the CoreStates Center in Philadelphia. The concert took the sold-out crowd of more than 16,000 on a dazzling and at times stunning musical voyage into the world of Britain’s “mods” and adolescents of the early ’60s.

The show, like the album, opened with a tape of “I Am The Sea” filling the arena. Huge video screens over the stage showed the ocean crashing over rocks, and the band, backed by a large supporting cast of musicians, began the set with the stirring “The Real Me.”

For the next 90 minutes, “Quadrophenia” was performed to perfection. Daltrey, at center stage, looked youthful and fit, constantly twirling his microphone. Townshend, playing an acoustic guitar for most of the show, sang and strutted to the right and the ever-stoic John Entwistle’s bass-lines boomed from the left.

The “Quadrophenia” show is not for the casual Who fan, familiar with only the AOR hits. The set’s early songs – “Cut My Hair,” “The Punk Meets The Godfather,” “I’m One” and “In My Head” – although interesting compositions, are not the type of numbers you’d ever hear in the middle of a Who rock block.

Like Tommy, the music tells a story, and between each song, a young teen – the central character in the story – appeared on the video screens, offering dialogue to help segue into the next song.

And although Daltrey has the second best voice in rock history (surpassed only by The King), and Entwistle’s bass-lines are sometimes jaw-dropping, the soul of The Who is always Townshend. And although the years have aged his face and body much more than his band mates, his attachment to the youthful vibrancy of the music’s lyrics is perhaps stronger than anyone’s. When he delivered the first lines to the classic “5:15,” – “Why should I care? Why should I care?” – the anger and pain showed in his eyes as if he’d just written the song yesterday.

Guest vocalists Billy Idol and Gary Glitter added some flair to several numbers, with Idol shining brightest during the performance of “Bell Boy.” Simon Townshend, brother of Pete, supplied most of the show’s electric guitar, and Zak Starkey did well in emulating the thunderous drumming of the late Keith Moon.

Also on stage embellishing the full “Quadrophenia” sound were five brass musicians, a percussionist, two keyboard players and two backing vocalists.

The show closed strong with “Dr. Jimmy,” and “The Rock” leading up to the grand finale of “Love, Reign O’er Me.”

The band returned for encores, offering a few non-Quadrophenia favorites: an acoustic version of “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” a straight rendition of “Behind Blue Eyes,” and a semi-acoustic performance of “Who Are You.” It was here, however, that audiences might realize this was not their father’s Who. While Daltrey always seemed itchy to break out into a Who-like, mid-’70s style frenzy, Townshend seemed more resigned to age, more comfortable with the volume a bit lower and the energy a bit down. He did his patent windmills only twice during the last number, which predictably drew a sentimental cheer from the crowd.

Still, the music is so remarkable and the band’s presence is still so imposing that if asked the question: “Is any Who better than no Who?” the answer is simple: You better, you bet.