Describes (in the form of an opera libretto in five acts) the experience of creating an opera in a first-grade bilingual classroom. Shows that literacy is not reading and writing, opera is not inaccessible, and art is not a frill. Finds that children made flexible use of sign systems and achieved some degree of bilingualism. (SR)

Summarizes the author's dissertation following a group of bilingual first graders as they created an opera with their teacher and an artist-in-residence. Summarizes the opera process using the libretto format. Discusses the setting, perspectives of all of the collaborators, what was learned, and the educational implications. (SR)