Dr. Kip Cranna
Dramaturg Emeritus
(Scholar in Residence)
of San Francisco Opera
About Kip Cranna
Clifford “Kip” Cranna is Dramaturg Emeritus at the San Francisco Opera. He joined the company in 1979, serving as Director of Music Administration and later as Dramaturg, planning each season’s rehearsal and performance schedule, managing commissions for new operas, and supervising the music staff, orchestra, chorus, and dancers. He holds a PhD in musicology from Stanford University and writes and lectures frequently on opera. He teaches courses on opera appreciation at Stanford Continuing Studies, the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLI) at U.C. Berkeley, San Francisco State University, and Dominican University. He is the recipient of several awards, including the San Francisco Opera Medal in 2008.
Upcoming Events
Puccini, Please! The Life, Times, and Music of the World’s Favorite Opera Composer
Stanford Continuing Studies (Online only)
Tuesdays, 7:00 PM (8 classes)
January 27-March 17, 2026
Opera Parallèle’s 16th Anniversary Celebration: "Honoring Kip Cranna for his remarkable impact on Contemporary Opera."
City Club of San Francisco
Tuesday, March 26, 2026 | 6 PM
Spotlight on Leitmotifs: Another Look at Wagner’s "Ring”
Boston Wagner Society: (Online Only)
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 2:00 PM Eastern
Viva Verdi: Opera and the Birth of Modern Italy
Opera Weekends at ECCO, Oakhurst, California (Near Yosemite)
May 15-17, 2026
The Quest for the Grail: A New Look at Parsifal
Triangle Wagner Society (North Carolina) (in person)
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Puccini, Please: The Life and Times of the World’s Favorite Opera Composer
Opera Weekends at ECCO, Oakhurst, California (Near Yosemite)
October 16-18, 2026
Services
Expert consultancy in opera dramaturgy.
Commissioning Consultant for New Operas and Musicological Advice on Classsic Works
Engaging talks on opera and dramaturgy.
*Photo: Kip Cranna with David Gockely, General Director Emeritus of San Francisco Opera
Get in touch
*Photo: Kip Cranna with Francesca Zambello, director of San Francisco Opera’s recent and upcoming "Ring" cycles
