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The objective of this qualitative research study is to analyze the contemporary transmission methods and educational approaches employed in preserving and revitalizing Chinese Jinghe opera to address current challenges in Hubei Province. The research site, Jingzhou City in Hubei Province, serves as the backdrop for exploring this multifaceted cultural heritage. Nine key informants, including scholars, practitioners, and community members, provide diverse perspectives on Jinghe Opera and its transmission. Semi-structured interviews serve as the basis for data collection, and thematic analysis follows to reveal recurring themes and patterns. The study reveals the historical significance of Jinghe Opera, its evolution, and the critical roles of supporting institutions, such as the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center and Yangtze University. Challenges facing Jinghe Opera, such as a shortage of original works and an aging transmission workforce, are discussed. Proposed solutions include fostering creativity, modernizing education, and establishing institutional support. This research contributes to the broader discourse on cultural heritage preservation and demonstrates the resilience of traditional art forms in a changing cultural landscape.

The Chinese Luoyang Quju Opera holds significant cultural importance in Henan Province. Despite its historical richness, this art form confronts challenges amidst modernization and evolving entertainment preferences. This study investigates literacy strategies for preserving and contemporaneously developing the Chinese Luoyang Quju Opera. The research in Luoyang engages performers, educators, and scholars through qualitative methods, such as interviews, field observations, and archival research. The findings underscore the necessity for systematic documentation, scientific preservation techniques, educational integration, governmental backing, and digital platform utilization to sustain this opera. Emphasizing a comprehensive approach to cultural conservation, blending traditional and contemporary methodologies to captivate new generations, the study recommends digital experience centers, social media outreach, curriculum inclusion, community initiatives, and cultural tourism programs. These strategies aim to uphold the enduring legacy of Luoyang Quju Opera in contemporary society.

Yue Opera holds the distinction of being the second largest opera in China and is celebrated as the country's second National opera. This study aims to examine education and literacy of historical development in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China. Through a multidisciplinary approach encompassing musicology and ethnomusicology it investigates the historical development, cultural contexts, and artistic characteristics of Chinese Yue Opera. The research methodology involves conducting interviews with key informants who have extensive experience and expertise in Chinese Yue Opera, as well as observing live performances. The collected data is analyzed and interpreted in accordance with existing literature and theoretical principles. The findings of the study trace the evolution of Chinese Yue Opera from its origins as a rap art form to an opera prototype, and its subsequent development into the "Small Song Class" and "Shaoxing Opera." The comprehensive examination of the cultural and artistic aspects of education and literacy in Chinese Yue Opera provides valuable insights into this traditional Chinese opera genre. The study sheds light on its historical significance, artistic expressions, and cultural heritage. This research enriches our understanding and deepens our appreciation of the distinctive artistry encapsulated within Chinese Yue Opera.

Huai Opera is a traditional Chinese operatic form known for its distinctive vocal techniques,melodic tunes, and captivating storytelling, originating from the Huai River region in China. Thestudy's primary objective is to investigate vocal technique literacy in Huai Opera for school-based musicians education in Shanghai Municipality, China. Anchored in musicology and ethnomusicology, this research is conducted within the School of Huai Opera, encompassing the Southern and Northern Schools, known for their distinctive regional influences and vocal styles. Two key informants,a seasoned Huai Opera performer and vocal instructor and an accomplished ethnomusicologist,lend their unique insights to shed light on the multifaceted nature of vocal technique literacy inHuai Opera education. The structured interviews and systematic observations that were used tocollect data are carefully analyzed to show the different breathing techniques, vocal techniques, and rhythms that makeup Huai Opera's vocal technique literacy curriculum. The study's finding sunderscore the significance of integrating traditional arts into contemporary education systems to preserve cultural heritage and enrich students' educational experiences. It emphasizes the need for innovative pedagogical approaches and highlights the role of traditional arts in nurturing cultural engagement among youth.

Suzhou Pingtan is a traditional Chinese opera originating from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, known for its melodic tunes, storytelling, and expressive performances. The objective of this study was to explore the transmission process of Suzhou Pingtan Chinese Opera in Jiangsu, China, and its impact on education and literacy. This study utilizes a combination of fieldwork, interviews, and questionnaires as research tools were used to gather data from three key informants, two main informants, and three general informants. The data collected are analyzed through qualitative methods, including content analysis and thematic analysis. The research findings reveal ten main modes of transmission, including the inclusion of Suzhou Pingtan in the national intangible cultural heritage list, the establishment of inheritors, the Suzhou Pingtan Art Festival, the enhancement of performance level and frequency, the development of Suzhou Pingtan School, the establishment of Suzhou Pingtan Museum, the expansion of performance venues, the integration into primary and secondary schools and universities, international transmission, and strong government support. The study suggests the importance of continued support for educational initiatives, the preservation of performance venues, and the cultivation of young audiences to ensure the sustainability and wider appreciation of Suzhou Pingtan.

The study focuses on the preservation and transmission of Gannan Tea Picking Opera knowledge after the Cultural Revolution in 1949 using qualitative research methods such as interviews and observations with seven key informants. The following findings were obtained, which can be divided into three distinct periods: The tortuous development phase from 1949 to 1966 marked significant growth and development, with the establishment of specialized schools and the implementation of the "three reforms" contributing to knowledge transmission and preservation. The survival dilemma period from 1966 to 1976 during the Cultural Revolution imposed constraints on artistic expression, but the return of artists from rural areas and their role in recruiting apprentices supported the continuity of Gannan Tea Picking Opera. Finally, the Ganzhou Gannan Tea Picking Opera Troupe and educational institutions contributed to the revival of this traditional art form during the period of rebirth from 1976 to 2023. Retired artists continue to play a vital role in knowledge preservation and dissemination, reflecting the enduring resilience of Gannan Tea Picking Opera.

Changde Sixian Opera is a cherished intangible cultural heritage traditional folk opera known for its vibrant melodies. The objective of this study is to propose guidelines for the literacy transmission of Changde Sixian Opera within schools and educational institutes. The study was conducted in Changde City, Hunan Province, and enlisted two key informants, including experienced Changde Sixian performers and educators. Employing a mixed-methods approach involving semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis, the study unearthed a multifaceted integration of Changde Sixian into primary and secondary education, higher education, community activities, television programming, and professional performance groups. The research findings underscore the importance of educational institutions in preserving and transmitting Changde Sixian Opera while emphasizing the need for ongoing strategies to address declining interest among younger generations, ensuring the continued vibrancy of this cultural treasure.

This paper takes the music class of Fuzhou Preschool Normal College, Jiangxi Province, China as a case study to analyze the different attitudes of students to the traditional Chinese opera--Fuzhou tea-picking opera which has been introduced into the music class of the school, thus affecting the cultural inheritance effect. A total of 150 non-music major local college students were selected from three classes to carry out the music course inheritance practice for four months in Fuzhou Preschool Normal College. This study was divided into three stages, (a) student assessment, (b) teaching the lesson, (c) feedback and assessment. The aim of this study was to study the perceptions of students from Fuzhou Preschool Normal College, Jiangxi Province, China towards the art from of Fuzhou tea-picking opera, and to explore the factors affecting the learning attitudes of these students. Mixed-methods design was employed within the study. The study found that the implementation of the course significantly improved students' positive attitude towards Fuzhou tea-picking opera. The implementation of the course played a positive role in promoting the inheritance of the tea-picking opera. Although this is a study on the inheritance of traditional Chinese music course, the ideas of course design and research results are applicable to other traditional Chinese music, and even to other countries which have needs for the inheritance of traditional music.

This study investigates opportunities for and challenges faced by Chinese dance and movement educators at the higher education level in the United States, drawing from interviews with seven influential Chinese dance and movement academics. The article probes the boundaries of what is considered Chinese dance in the US context, including Chinese interdisciplinary "xiqu" (often mistranslated as Chinese opera) and martial arts. Background information gathered from US dance and theater departments indicates the lack of Chinese dance and movement courses overall and describes the common formats for including these forms in higher education curricula. The interview discussion highlights the navigation involved in teaching Chinese dance and movement in the United States via four major categories: Institutional, Curricular, Pedagogical, and Cultural issues.

Transmitting traditional music for sustainability has been a common theme in global music education. Recently, the school systems of Hong Kong and Guangdong have been encouraged by governmental authorities to teach Cantonese opera aiming at enhancing the sustainability of the genre and promote a Chinese cultural identity within students. This paper details a survey of school music teachers working in Hong Kong and Guangdong examining the current state of Cantonese opera teaching in the schools of both regions and investigate how it is affected by teacher variables including their interest in Chinese opera, the confidence in teaching the subject, and their perceptions of their Chinese cultural identities. A total of 1,974 valid questionnaires were received and examined. Descriptive and inferential statistics including MANOVA and chi-square tests were used to analyze the data. Findings reveal that Cantonese opera teaching is limited in both regions. While teachers are modestly interested, confident, and knowledgeable about teaching the genre, there is a significant relationship between the music backgrounds of teachers and their interest in Cantonese opera. The article discusses the findings within the context of a historical predominance of Western music within music education curricula and wider societies. Implications for policy makers are proposed.

Teaching traditional art forms in schools and the community has proven an effective way of ensuring the transmission of traditional culture. But due to the lack of valid and normative assessment guidance, the assessments of Cantonese operatic singing are still developing, impairing the instructiveness in its teaching and learning and restraining the education and development of this traditional genre within contemporary society. Accordingly, to guide the design of a holistic assessment, the revised Bloom's taxonomy was adopted to form a theoretical framework from which a criterion- and standard-based assessment framework with four domains has been proposed. Four teachers and 24 students of Cantonese opera institutions in Guangdong, China, were invited to pilot the assessment framework. Afterwards, semi-structured interviews were conducted from which two research questions were answered satisfactorily: (1) proposing a criteria- and standard-based assessment framework is necessary, for the traditional assessment practice is weak in guiding teaching and learning and (2) positive feedback supported the proposed assessment framework facilitates the teaching and learning of Cantonese operatic singing.

This article places in historical context the three operas written by Alan Ridout for the choir of Canterbury Cathedral during the 1960s. Analysis of these works and their gestation is presented as a microcosm representing wider developments in music education since then. The analysis weaves together personal recollections, authenticated through correspondence with teachers and other alumni involved, combined with the examination of archive material, and with musical and textual analysis. The works themselves remain fresh and worthy of performance today, while the intentions behind them represent a mirror through which the role of musical creativity in contemporary education will be considered.

This article reflects on the evaluation of an innovative educational arts project at a primary school in Liverpool. Based on an animated film version of Janácek's "Cunning Little Vixen," an opera populated by animals, this child-led project was considered to be a successful endeavour. Yet there remain unanswered questions over how this success might be defined and indeed what conventional methods of evaluation research can hope to capture. The article draws on debates from the new wave of childhood studies and considers how some of the recent theoretical and methodological developments in this field, particularly around post-qualitative research, could and should influence the way that evaluation is carried out. Yet there are tensions between the complexities that these developments raise and the intention of evaluation which is to provide straightforward answers.

The article is devoted to the development and formation of the Italian vocal schools in the era of the New Age. The most important aspects of the development of the Italian vocal school are the domination of castrate singers in the 18th century and their gradual ousting in the era of the romantic opera formation. During the 20th century, the internationalization of Italian opera and vocal teaching methods take place. The study is based on a complex of historical methods. The materials are of interest to researchers of vocal technology and cultural history.

For decades, the transmission of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong and China has faced considerable challenges, including a lack of valid assessment. This study aims to propose a holistic theoretical framework for the assessment of Cantonese operatic singing after {1) analysing two graded examinations of Peking opera and Cantonese opera and {2) interviewing ten Cantonese opera experts and their students from Guangdong and Hong Kong. Findings reveal that the designs of the existing graded examinations in xiqu are still developing; multiple problems exist in the daily assessment practices including: (1) dependence on subjective perception, (2) a focus on the assessment of performance skills and a lack of multidimensionality, and (3) an inclination to momentary judgment and a lack of sustainability in assessing and documenting students' progress. Suggestions include introducing criterion- and standard-based assessments and increasing cooperation between artists and education experts, which may further promote the inheritance, popularity, and development of this traditional art form.

A revised abstract is as follows: Cantonese operatic singing is widespread in Hong Kong with numerous amateurs learning in community club settings. However, limited research has been taken on how amateurs learn in the community. This article reports on an autoethnographic study of a community music club catering to Cantonese operatic singing in Hong Kong. The author joined the club for six years as a full member and attended weekly gatherings to identify the features characterising informal learning with participant observations and informal conversations as research methods. Trustworthiness of the study was built on developed rapport with three members and lengthy period of data collection. Influenced by Chinese traditional culture and beliefs, a proactive learning attitude with industry, a competency of self-learning, and the development of positive inter-personal relationships were keys to earning the respect of senior members for access of learning. This study implies a need to balance between informal learning and a systematic pedagogy.

Recent years have witnessed significant growth of interest in science-art integration in schools as an approach to creative teaching and learning. This conceptual turn in education implies profound institutional and philosophical changes. Central to this turn has been the development of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math (STEAM) education. In this article, we detail a progression from an existing model of pedagogical principles and educational objectives in science education within a global STEAM education environment, Global Science Opera, towards shared pedagogical principles and educational objectives in both science and arts education within that same environment. In this work, we rely on a transdisciplinary approach towards the integrated disciplines and the educators who teach them. We outline the need for the new, integrated approach to be validated in other, empirical, contexts in order to establish its capacity in the field of creativity in education, and specifically in global STEAM environments in order to ensure its relevance to teaching and learning of a kind which strengthen students' knowledge, abilities and democratic and inclusive values. We propose the Janus metaphor for the new approach as it represents the possibility of having a double perspective of a single focus of attention. We conclude by pointing at limitations of discipline integration in which pedagogical principles in science education are not in harmony with the pedagogical principles in arts education.

The purpose of this article is to give the history teacher who is interested in or passionate about music--but nervous about transforming that passion into a useful classroom lesson--some resources, tools, and ideas to begin incorporating music into their teaching. It will focus on what is arguably the most difficult musical genre to teach with: the European tradition of art music, including opera. Such music is often regarded as being far away from the world of contemporary popular music, and art music may be the genre students are least likely to casually listen to. However, it is an incredibly rich resource for classroom instruction, and the underlying principles can be applied to more popular forms of music or to non-Western musical traditions. The dramatic principles inherent in opera provide another way to combine audio and visual sources to drive student discussion. Music is yet another method of reaching students by engaging them with something they are likely to have opinions about and have at their fingertips (given the ubiquity of streaming services and unlimited smartphone storage); and since music is used to market goods, enforce informal social boundaries, and serve as a marker of identity, training students to think as critically about music as we train them to think about texts and visual media is a vital part of equipping them to live in the modern world. Finally, classical music will be attractive to students who are interested in the arts and in musical performance who might otherwise find history a little remote. Historians and history teachers ignore the power and potential of music at their peril.

The purpose of this study was to examine the intersections of experiential learning and critical reflection within the unique context of the Accademia Europea dell'Opera (AEDO), a music performance summer program specializing in opera. Researchers explored the development and implementation of a responsive model of reflection and considered the impact this model had on helping music students shift between multiple spaces of musical performance and skill development. Data were analyzed through a communities of practice framework, and findings drawn from the analysis are explored through the following themes: the complexities of building a new community, synergy between intrapersonal and interpersonal engagement, and participants' processes of reflecting and learning together.

Chinese opera performance proceedings can be divided into two types. The first is 'visible proceedings', which can be directly seen and heard in the performance, and the second is 'invisible proceedings', which arrange the story and performance of the opera using procedural thinking. The research methods of this study were mainly used to analyze and verify whether Chinese opera movements could improve teaching performance after using 3D motion-capture technology. The experimental method was based on two phases. The first phase used a pre-experimental design in a one-shot case study. The second phase of the experiment was a true-experimental design, in which the data collection method adopted a randomized control-group pretest-posttest design. Bivariate correlation, paired sample T-test, ANOVA, and multivariate linear regression were used for comparison of the movements of the instructor and participant variables among the motions of key limbs. The two experimental phases were both exploratory processes. The two assumed null hypotheses could be rejected based on a significant difference after analysis. It has a high probability of causing variations in student learning during teaching because the changed quantity of the teaching and learning clearly indicates how the high degree of connected influence comes into being.

This article assesses the impact of a two-year long project-based learning program conducted by the National Opera of Paris in a large number of middle schools located in underprivileged areas, aiming at preventing school dropout and tackling educational inequalities by providing disadvantaged students with the opportunity to discover the world of opera. Taking a counterfactual approach (propensity score matching), we measure the impact of participation in the program on final exam and continuous assessment grades. The analysis displays mixed results: a significant and positive impact for the students who participate in the program for its whole duration (two years), at least for continuous assessment scores, but a negative impact for those who leave the program after only one year. The contrast between the effects of full and partial participation in the program suggests that these may be primarily due to a selection effect in favor of the most culturally and socially compliant students, in line with Bourdieu's and Passeron's reproduction theory (1997 [1970]) rather than a mobility effect (DiMaggio, 1982) resulting from the transfer of cultural capital to disadvantaged students.

Objectives: The humanities, including narrative arts, are a valuable tool to foster reflection for professionally competent clinical practice. Integrating such study into traditional medical school curricula can prove challenging. A preclinical elective on opera and medicine was developed and piloted at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University for pre-medical and medical students to foster reflective capacity supporting professional identity formation. Methods: Interdisciplinary faculty from the departments of arts and sciences conducted nine facilitated discussion sessions. A field trip to the Metropolitan Opera, NY complemented students' operatic studies. Students were asked reflection-inviting questions concerning their emotional response to operatic scenes, characters, and physician-patient interactions throughout the course and given opportunities to discuss how opera reflects and reinforces stereotypes and societal stigma of patients, diseases, and physicians. A final reflective paper prompted analysis of more and less successful patient-provider interactions, exploring how students felt about these relationships, and drawing conclusions about how they would like to ideally act in the future. Formative feedback was provided using a reflection rubric. Results: Course evaluations demonstrated that sessions were well received. Students' qualitative comments described the influence of the course on the development of their professional identities, as well as the potential impact on their future careers as physicians. Lessons learned and future directions are suggested. Conclusions: This novel curriculum can serve as a model for using opera to enhance reflection and foster professional identity formation at other health profession and liberal arts institutions.

Transmission of traditional art forms in the modern world has been a major issue in the field of arts education. Different issues have been raised on how to preserve the traditional art forms for further development. Cantonese opera is a representative Chinese opera popular in south China including Hong Kong. However, the genre has been experienced fluctuation since 1950s with the difficulties of transmission through oral tradition to conservatory tradition. While the Hong Kong Government promotes the genre to reserve the cultural tradition, great masters have been fading out and younger generation encounters difficulties in inheriting the genre. This article reports parts of a large-scale study on the nature and characteristics of oral tradition, learning in community settings, conservatory tradition, and proposes a model of transmission of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong. The model may shed light on preserving, inheriting, and further developing traditional performing arts in the modern world.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of vocal function exercises (VFEs) on the physiologic range of the operatic voice. The primary outcome measure was total voice range profile (VRP) area. Method: Forty graduate-level opera majors were randomly assigned to experimental (training with VFE + vocal hygiene) and control (vocal hygiene only) groups. All participants underwent an acoustic voice assessment (modified VRP) pre and post 10 weeks of the assigned intervention. VRP total area was calculated and compared between and within the two groups. The total VRP area was subsequently divided into three area thirds (low, medium, and high). Results: A significant improvement (increase) was observed in the VFE group for the primary outcome measure of VRP area when pre- and postvoice conditions were compared for total area, upper third, and middle third. No significant improvement was found in the vocal hygiene-only group. Conclusion: Vocal training with VFEs over a 10-week period demonstrated positive effects on physiologic voice range as evidenced by an increase in the total VRP area and therefore may enhance the potential of those who already have professional voice training.

Purpose: To advance our current knowledge of singer physiology by using ultrasonography in combination with acoustic measures to compare physiological differences between musical theater (MT) and opera (OP) singers under controlled phonation conditions. Primary objectives addressed in this study were (a) to determine if differences in hyolaryngeal and vocal fold contact dynamics occur between two professional voice populations (MT and OP) during singing tasks and (b) to determine if differences occur between MT and OP singers in oral configuration and associated acoustic resonance during singing tasks. Method: Twenty-one singers (10 MT and 11 OP) were included. All participants were currently enrolled in a music program. Experimental procedures consisted of sustained phonation on the vowels /i/ and /a/ during both a low-pitch task and a high-pitch task. Measures of hyolaryngeal elevation, tongue height, and tongue advancement were assessed using ultrasonography. Vocal fold contact dynamics were measured using electroglottography. Simultaneous acoustic recordings were obtained during all ultrasonography procedures for analysis of the first two formant frequencies. Results: Significant oral configuration differences, reflected by measures of tongue height and tongue advancement, were seen between groups. Measures of acoustic resonance also showed significant differences between groups during specific tasks. Both singer groups significantly raised their hyoid position when singing high-pitched vowels, but hyoid elevation was not statistically different between groups. Likewise, vocal fold contact dynamics did not significantly differentiate the two singer groups. Conclusions: These findings suggest that, under controlled phonation conditions, MT singers alter their oral configuration and achieve differing resultant formants as compared with OP singers. Because singers are at a high risk of developing a voice disorder, understanding how these two groups of singers adjust their vocal tract configuration during their specific singing genre may help to identify risky vocal behavior and provide a basis for prevention of voice disorders.

The article elucidates the theatre-making methodology of Shyambazar Blind Opera House, Kolkata (SBO); a group theatre troupe made up of members of the visually impaired community. The initiative uses theatre as an experimental tool to facilitate personal, social, and cultural development, and is the first of its kind in Bengal. The composite theatrical structure used by the troupe not only empowers the community but also challenges power hierarchies. Thick description, participatory observation and interviews have been employed as ethnographic tools to understand the theatrical methodology employed by Blind Opera, and its application.

Australia is currently responding to an international trend that encourages social inclusion and the provision of equal opportunity for all. In a climate that is encouraging and supporting social inclusion, it can be enriching to look back at Australia's history and consider the benefits that have been gained in a previous era when people were given new opportunities in a more socially inclusive environment. This paper will discuss how the composition of Australia's first opera by a woman, Mona McBurney's "The Dalmatian," exemplifies what can be achieved when social change gives rise to new opportunity. The particular musical significance of "The Dalmatian" is that it is the first opera to be written by an Australian woman, however, this is not its only point of significance. "The Dalmatian" is a product of a unique period in Australia's history when, as a result of various major social changes, women were offered increased musical opportunities. The opera stands as proof of the benefits that can be reaped when society provides equal encouragement, support and opportunity for men and women in their musical endeavours. It is a musical work that speaks to contemporary societies in the pursuit of more socially inclusive environments with equal access to opportunity for all.

This article invites teachers to consider how to strengthen links between English, music, arts, and acting, maximizing the potential for children to become successful language learners at a young age. It will show how children's opera can act as a catalyst for learning and using the language. The findings demonstrate that teaching English with a children's opera allows developing the basics of elementary communicative competence as it has everything that children of this age like rhythm, melody, story, and acting.

This study aims to examine how and why students transform in terms of learning motivation in learning the Cantonese opera with a teacher-artist partnership approach in Hong Kong schools. An artist and seven teachers from four schools collaborated to teach the genre for eight weeks. Students' learning motivation changes in Cantonese opera was measured by a set of pre- and post-learning questionnaires. Qualitative data were drawn from class observations and focus group interviews with teachers and students. Results indicate that students' motivation in learning the genre has been changed. The statistical analysis suggests that, while primary students had significantly increased their motivation in learning Cantonese opera, the secondary students' motivation had not increased. Attributions include age differences, self-consciousness, intrinsic value and socio-cultural impact. However, the partnership was found to be an appropriate and effective approach in teaching the ethnic genre for its "role supplementation" between the teacher and the artist. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

Opera singers face psychological and occupational demands that often compromise well-being and career satisfaction. In this repeated measures study, professional and pre-professional opera singers participated in either a two-week or four-week intensive training program that was designed to enhance performance skills. Curriculum was taught in an integrative and psychologically supportive environment where singers worked musically, dramatically, and physically without fear of criticism. The singers were evaluated at three time points, immediately preceding the training program, immediately following the completion of the program, and six months after the completion of the program. Results demonstrated that the singers in both the two-week and four-week groups increased their ability to achieve optimal performance, emotional regulation, and self-esteem, and decreased internalized shame, trait perfectionism, and trait anxiety. These findings are important given that opera singers are vulnerable to anxiety disorders and that their career is demanding and unpredictable.

In recent years, pre-service teacher education has attempted to incorporate into programs an understanding of Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences as it applies to schools. In this paper the tension between "learning about" multiple intelligences and "learning through" multiple intelligences supports Gardner's (1993) distinction between "understanding" and "coverage". This paper examines the use of the performing arts in the professional studies component of our teacher education program. During 2002 at The University of Melbourne, a group of education students were offered the opportunity to develop an opera in order to learn about assessment and curriculum. Thirty-seven of the students volunteered to be involved and over a period of six months met this challenge. Our action research study asked two critical questions. To what extent is the understanding of multiple intelligences by pre-service teachers improved by "learning through"? Can pre-service teachers address fundamental issues in curriculum and assessment through the development of a performance? This experience would be of value to other teacher educators.

In recent years, opera companies throughout the United Kingdom have begun to provide educational programs for children that offer opportunities for "apprenticeship" training in the context of professional opera productions, alongside formal choral musicianship training. This article outlines a qualitative case study of a recently established children's opera chorus program located in a northern England city, in which I investigated the extent to which the children became engaged with opera as a genre through their participation in the program. This study also considers the extent to which such programs affected children's emerging cultural identities and musical preferences in an acculturative sense. Findings suggested that the authenticity and situatedness of the learning experience had a positive impact on the children's engagement, with those that had participated in main-stage productions being most likely to state that they wished to pursue opera or musical theatre as a career in later life.

The goal of this qualitative study is to provide theoretical knowledge and design principles for a creative educational environment characterized by simultaneous study and exploration of science or math, and the arts: Write a Science Opera (WASO). To do so, we used a theory of creativity in education which links collaborative co-creation in creative activity, and identity: Wise Humanizing Creativity (WHC). Data were collected from teachers in interventions during which the WASO environment was implemented in two Norwegian primary schools. The topics of study were the multiplication table at the first school, and temperature at the second. Data relating to these participants' experiences and perceptions were coded and analyzed in order to articulate the kind of creative activity witnessed. The data, which consisted of interviews and reflective notes, were analyzed based on Educational Design Research (EDR) theory in order to explore design principles which could enrich WASO in the future, as well as to provide theoretical knowledge to other educational researchers.

Performance in drama, dance, music, puppetry, or combinations of these arts can be an exciting encounter for young children. This case study investigated one 4-year-old's responses to a children's opera. Her responses before, during, and after the performance were systematically observed and analyzed. Data showed that the child had some knowledge of the conventions of opera and performance before the show. Overall, she was attentive to the performance, with periodic mental diversions not appearing to affect her understanding of the show's narrative. Some aspects of the performance seemed to evoke particularly animated responses, such as puppets and dancing. The child appeared to identify strongly with the central character, a little girl, and during the performance, she also engaged in spontaneous drawing of what she observed on stage. A post-performance opportunity to explore the stage and props and to talk to performers indicated that the experience had been a positive one for the child; she interacted with many new people and did not want to leave. Several weeks after the performance, her play-acting revealed an influence of the opera, and she composed a song dealing with the opera's narrative. These observations suggested that quality performance experiences may have the potential to stimulate children to generate their own original, artistic responses. (Suggestions for appropriate inclusion of performances in early childhood education are provided. Contains 21 references.) (EV)