Content area
The creation of original student opera is a unique multi-disciplinary process that provides opportunities for academic, social, artistic, and emotional growth. This dissertation examines the philosophy, history, and practice of opera-creation curricula implemented across the United States and Canada and explores the role of local opera companies in such programs. Benefits and challenges of program implementation are discussed and implications for use in educational settings are explored. Application of the process is examined through the inclusion of a libretto, score, and process summary of The Boston Tea Party, a student-written opera.
This dissertation examines opera-creation programs implemented by opera companies, organizations, and individuals and provides historical documentation of those individuals and events that led to the creation of such programs. Discussion of the two major curricula, OPERA America's Create and Produce from Music! Words! Opera! and the Metropolitan Opera Guild's Creating Original Opera includes historical development, program description, teacher training and support services, and documentation of participants.
The review of literature explores theoretical foundations that include Dewey's constructivism, creativity education, child-centered instruction, cooperative learning, and integrative multi-disciplinary arts education. Historical and practical data, gathered through project observations and interviews with founders, authors, and program directors, demonstrate the inter-related history and applications of opera-creation programs.
A survey was administered to opera education coordinators of eighty-seven opera companies to determine company participation in opera-creation programs, company-school partnerships, support services for participants, and perceived benefits and challenges of the programs. Results indicate that all twenty-five coordinators reporting implementation of opera-creation curricula offer support services to participating schoolchildren. Teachers and coordinators report student improvements in higher-order thinking skills, behavior and attitude, language arts, social studies, writing skills, self-esteem, cooperative learning, and problem solving. Reported challenges to program implementation include time restraints and emphasis on standardized testing.
Use of opera-creation programs in schools can provide practical experience in conception and application of student creativity across the curriculum. These multi-disciplinary arts education curricula can be of use to classroom teachers, music and arts teachers, and students who are seeking innovative educational programs. This dissertation seeks to call attention to these programs and encourage future applications.