The purpose of this dissertation is twofold-to investigate, in brief, the available guides to Russian lyric diction and to present my own comprehensive guide, which gives singers the tools to prepare the pronunciation of Russian vocal pieces independently. The survey examines four guides to Russian lyric diction found in popular anthologies or…

This study was designed to compare knowledge about and attitude toward opera in three groups of fifth-graders with various levels of involvement with an in-school opera. One group watched the live performance, a second group watched the performance preceded by three pre-performance lessons that encompassed common opera vocabulary and voice types,…

During the 2011-12 school year, a fifth grade class in a diverse San Francisco public elementary school collaborated with the Arts Resources In Action (ARIA) program of the San Francisco Opera's Education Department to create a teacher-guided opera. The students wrote the story, music and lyrics as well as designed and built the sets, props and…

The publication and exchange of pedagogical information on opera singer training has traditionally been anecdotal and not derived from empirical investigation. There appears to be a lack of communication or understanding between the educators who train aspiring opera singers and others who work with them in professional performing environments…

This dissertation explores the role of Lao folk opera as a medium for constructively addressing problems of cultural conflict and acculturative stress that have risen among lowland Lao refugees and their children in urban America. The central focus of the inquiry is on the ways Lao folk opera currently functions as a learning medium in the…