An active mezzo-soprano recitalist and soloist, Dr. Ann Cravero recently made her Carnegie Hall debut as a first-place finalist of the Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition. Dr. Cravero has performed in master-classes with Frederica von Stade and Michéle Crider, and coached with mezzo-soprano, Rinat Shaham. Ann Cravero frequently performs new music and has debuted works in the United States and Severino, Italy. She has also been heard in the Austrian Contemporary Music Festival held at Clapp Hall in Iowa City. Likewise, her doctoral thesis, Contemporary Opera Scenes for Countertenor: A Stage Director's Guide, includes new research and commentary based on operatic works by Stewart Wallace, Jeffrey Lependorf, David Johnson, Paul Barker, and one of the foremost composers of countertenor repertoire, Geoffrey Burgon. She has performed the roles of Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), the 2nd Lady (The Magic Flute), La Mere d’Antonia (Les Contes D’Hoffman), Phoebe (Yeoman of the Guard) and The Duchess (Gondoliers).

Dr. Cravero has participated as an apprentice artist for the Des Moines Metropolitan Opera, and is the district winner of the NATSAA competition. She received honorable mention for the Metropolitan Opera National Council District Audition, and is the winner of the Bradley University Piano Concerto Competition. She is the recipient of the Donald Walker Vocal Scholarship for outstanding vocal achievement at the University of Iowa, and receiver of outstanding academic achievement in the field of Music Education from Bradley University.

Also assuming the role of opera director, Dr. Cravero most recently directed Die Fledermaus, The Pirates of Penzance, and Copland's The Tender Land, with the Drake Opera Theatre, Britten's, The Little Sweep with the City Opera Company of the Quad Cities, as well as producing and directing the one-act opera Fortune's Favorites at the University of Iowa.

Dr. Cravero holds the Doctor of Musical Arts, and Masters degrees from the University of Iowa, and a Bachelor of Music Education from Bradley University. Her teachers include Dr. Kerry Walters, Elizabeth Ecklund, Emma Small, Dr. Kathryn Eberle, Stephen Swanson, Sally Stunkel (directing) and Dr. Edward Kaizer (piano). Dr. Cravero is Assistant Professor of Voice and Opera at Drake University.