Part One, General Introduction, presents all of the workshops for an entire year dedicated to dramatic arts education sponsored by the Guoguang Opera Company. The teaching materials contained in this DVD are arranged in accord with the introduction of Chinese Opera outlined in The Big World in the Theater: The World of Chinese Opera written by Professor Wang An-Chi, the company’s artistic director. The DVD starts with the concepts of life in “the realistic life” portrayed in drama, continuing with the imaginative world, the world of theater. After introducing the singing and dancing performed in Chinese Opera, it concludes with a section entitled “exploration of teaching projects” to inspire teachers to come up with creative innovations.  Such an approach should encourage students to immerse themselves in the rich artistic forms stemming from the local culture. In addition to a general introduction, the teaching material includes a section entitled: “Some Facts about Chinese Opera.” This is a detailed introduction to the costumes, gestures, and scenes in Chinese Opera to help viewers appreciate the action on stage and come to understand the essence of Chinese Opera.
        Two teaching projects, “Father and Son riding on a donkey” and “Creative Performance of Old Poetry”, have been designed to promote lively instruction in the classroom. With guidance from teachers, students can undertake their own performances to experience the rich world of the stage.