The imagination and creativity must have been there all along, hidden under a bushel basket even after Lyric Opera of San Diego’s move to the Birch North Park Theatre. To celebrate two anniversaries this month — the organization’s 30th and the theater’s 80th — Lyric Opera trots out a concept and knocks itself out. The past consisted most usually of staid productions of Gilbert and Sullivan in the D’Oyly Carte tradition and ho-hum production of musicals, light opera and opera. Forget all that. Apparently the company has marshaled its own and newer forces to establish a new tradition, and it’s high time. General Director Leon Natker fields two one-act operettas, one the world premiere of “Rumpelstiltskin” and the other Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Trial by Jury.” He double casts them, hires a new young conductor, brings back an amazing talent that he exploits to the max, and imposes similar styles on each work. The gamble pays off in terms of enjoyment, visual and aural. It’s an evening of amusement and amazement with little ham-handedness and much of formerly absent subtlety.  “Rumpelstiltskin” credit is due to composer Nicolas Reveles for his tongue-in-cheek explorations of musical theater and operatic styles; to artistic director J. Sherwood Montgomery for his clever adaptation of and lyrics for the grim Grimm fairy tale; and to Natker for the absurdist through-line that binds the two in hilarity. G & S must be turning over in their graves. Whoopee to that! Reveles sends up everything and everybody from the British music hall tradition to Sondheim and Lapine’s Grand Guignolish “Sweeney Todd” and to Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” (or is that Leo Delibes’ “Lakme”?). Then he throws in a parody of Piazzolla and a slight whiff of “Side Show.” Tenor Enrique Toral returns to play Rumpelstiltskin and Edwin, the Defendant, in “Trial by Jury.” His performance as Rumpelstiltskin is downright scary, and as Edwin he is redolent of Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd” the film, down to his attire (costumes and makeup throughout by brilliant Pam Stompoly-Ericson) and the white streak in his hair. He also embodies mannerisms of Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp. Not only this, but the lad has a gorgeous voice (he’d be a great Pirelli, hint, hint). Lisa Archibeque also returns to grace both productions with her lovely soprano, excellent diction and saucy ingénue acting style. Identical twins and sopranos, Shelly Hart Breneman and Shauna Hart Ostrom are chirpy, operatic birds in “Rumpelstiltskin” and hysterically garbed Bridesmaids in the Gilbert and Sullivan romp, which is tuneful and filled with all we love about those works, which in themselves are parodies of all things serious. Imbued with the spirit of these goings on, the choristers adopted character, make up and wild wigs to go along with all else. The jurists’ manipulation of their 12 chairs is a choreographed marvel that ends with the simultaneous kerplop of 12 butts into their seats. The shows are rife with such subtleties and delights, providing complementary enjoyment that one hopes will fill company coffers and attract musical theater lovers of all ages. Remaining performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, Feb. 19 and 21, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22 at Birch North Park Theatre, University Avenue and 29th St., San Diego. For tickets ($30-$50, children 3-17, $15), visit www.birchnorthparktheatre.net or www.lyricoperaasandiego.org or call (619) 239-8836.