CORI ELLISON
DRAMATURG
BIOGRAPHY
Cori Ellison, a leading creative figure in the opera world, has been staff Dramaturg at Santa Fe Opera, the Glyndebourne Festival, and New York City Opera. She is currently production dramaturg for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Ring cycle, and has also served in that capacity on L'incoronazione di Poppea (Cincinnati Opera); Orphic Moments (Salzburg Landestheater, National Sawdust, Master Voices); Dialogues des Carmélites (Wolf Trap Opera); Aci, Galatea, e Polifemo (National Sawdust, Philharmonia Baroque); Washington National Opera’s Ring cycle; Opera Boston’s The Nose; Offenbach!!! (Bard Summerscape); and La finta giardiniera (Indiana University).
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Active in developing contemporary opera, she is a founding faculty member and mentor at American Lyric Theater’s Composer Librettist Development Program and has developed new operas for companies including Glyndebourne, Canadian Opera, Norwegian Opera, Icelandic Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Chicago Opera Theater, Arizona Opera, Opera Birmingham, Pittsburgh Opera, Beth Morrison Projects, Miller Theater, Indiana University Opera Theater, and Crane School of Music. Her English singing translations include Hansel and Gretel (NYCO; published by Schott), La vestale (English National Opera) and Shostakovich’s Cherry Tree Towers (Bard Summerscape). She creates supertitles for opera companies worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera. Her feature articles have appeared in publications including the New York Times and Opera magazine, and she has contributed to books including The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.
She serves on faculty at The Juilliard School (Vocal Arts) and the Ravinia Steans Music Institute Program for Singers, where she curates and prepares an annual themed concert program. She has led seminars and taught master classes at schools including Indiana University, Cincinnati College-Conservatory, University of Toronto, University of Texas/Austin, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Boston University, Boston Conservatory, and DePaul University. She adjudicates vocal competitions including the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Concurso San Miguel in Mexico, Opera Index, and the Wagner Society of New York.
Current as of January 20, 2026