MAURSITC
SARASOTA OPERA’S
GENERAL DIRECTOR
RICHARD RUSSELL
By Aaron R. Fodiman
Richard Russell
Richard Russell was a young tenor 32 years ago when he
joined the Sarasota Opera’s apprentice training program,
singing in subsequent seasons through 1993 as a studio
and principal artist. He returned to the company in 2005,
after over a decade in banking to serve as the opera’s director of
marketing. He left again in 2010 to become the general director of
Opera New Jersey for two years, after which he again returned to
his beloved Sarasota Opera as its executive director. This year, his
contract was extended for five years, and he was named general
director to better reflect the breadth of his responsibilities with
the company, where he will continue to collaborate with the
opera’s artistic director and principal conductor Victor DeRenzi
in the planning of upcoming seasons.
Syble Di Girolamo, president of the Sarasota Opera board of
trustees, said: “Sarasota Opera is fortunate to have had such an
incredibly talented, passionate and dedicated executive providing
leadership for our company and our local arts community during
the coronavirus pandemic. We are delighted that Mr. Russell
will continue in his leadership role through the next five years
as we face challenges of post-pandemic recovery and our return
to full-capacity programming.”
72 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2021
MATTHEW HOLLER
During his tenure as executive director, the opera has
increased individual giving by over 50% and more than doubled
its endowment. Russell also managed the fundraising and
construction for Steinwachs Artist Residences, which encompass
30 units for housing up to 70 artists. Another achievement he
engineered was the purchase of a historic collection of opera
costumes that now comprises the Sarasota Opera Costume Studio.
Russell and Maestro DeRenzi have the distinction of safely and
successfully completing the opera’s 62nd season as the only opera
company in the United States to present a fully staged season
in its theater through the pandemic as well as live streaming
operas from its stage. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Sarasota Opera purchased the former A.B.
Edwards Theater in downtown Sarasota in 1984. In 2007, the building
underwent a $20 million renovation and rehabilitation to enhance
audience amenities while updating the technical facilities, including
increasing the size of the orchestra pit to make it one of America’s finest
venues for opera.