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)