Spotlight | Richard Russell Celebrates 30 Years with the Sarasota Opera

By Christy Pessemier | Feature Photo by Matthew Holler | November 2022

Richard Russell caught the opera bug at an early age, way back in the fifth grade, when his teacher first introduced him to it. He was involved in his school’s music program and felt a pull towards music and performance from as far back as he can remember. Russell’s mother was a professional jazz singer and pianist, so musical talent ran in the family.

Growing up just outside New York City, Russell asked his mother to take him to an opera. After seeing his first opera performance in person, Russell was hooked. Little did he know that one day he’d be the Executive Director of a world class venue, The Sarasota Opera. 

“I think it was the passion of the music that I was drawn to,” Russell said. “It really gets you right in the gut.”

While other kids his age were playing sports, watching TV, and riding bikes—Russell became a regular subscriber at The New York City Opera,  taking the bus into New York City for Saturday matinee performances. 

“It was quite unusual for a kid that age,” Russell said. “The teachers encouraged us to experience opera and would take us to dress rehearsals at The Met ropolitan Opera, but my peers were not interested in opera at all.”

When he was in high school and old enough to get a driver’s license, Russell drove into New York City himself to see the opera.

“The all-encompassing nature of the art form—great music, sets, and costumes…” he said. “Being a performer and loving the pageantry of being onstage and all of that…it was very important to me.”  

Those early beginnings led him to become an opera singer himself. After earning both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in voice performance and choral conducting, Russell began pursuing singing as a career. One of his first jobs was at the Sarasota Opera, where he worked up through four seasons in the studio artist program, and then as a principal. As he was forging a path forward, Russell took temporary jobs on the side to earn enough to live. Around that time, he realized physical problems were forcing him to take a hiatus from singing and he chose to go into a different career—joining Citigroup’s Emerging Markets Sales and Trading group. It wasn’t long before he was promoted there as Vice President. 

But the world of opera kept calling his name, and after twelve years at Citigroup, he came back to the Sarasota Opera, working as the Director of Marketing for five years before becoming the General Director of Opera New Jersey in Princeton. Two  years later, he was back in Sarasota, this time as the Executive Director. 

According to Russell, in the opera world, the traditional role of executive director is solely administrative and involves running the company, fundraising, marketing, and finance, and the position of an opera’s artistic director is to focus more on the artistic side, while both act as CEOs. Although most opera companies have moved away from this model, at the Sarasota Opera, Russell and Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Victor DeRenzi chose to keep things running as a dual CEO-style structure. Russell is in charge of the administrative side, and DeRenzi directs the artistic side, though there is a lot of overlap. This setup allows them both to be involved in each other’s roles, maximizing the positive results of working together. 

Both Russell and DeRenzi do auditions together, as well as selecting operas for each season. Operas are chosen carefully keeping financial needs in mind, as well as artistic ones. It’s a fine art of balancing popular operas with less popular ones that may sell fewer tickets. Each opera’s cost is also different because the components that make it a production are different. 

“We work on it together so we can achieve the right balance and do it in a financially responsible manner.” Russell said. 

Meeting financial needs is a regular challenge. Ticket sales don’t cover the costs of producing an opera, so contributions are vital. Since coming on as Director ten years ago, Russell has increased individual giving to the Sarasota Opera by over 50%, as well as doubling their endowment. 

As a man with a keen business sense and sharp marketing skills, Russell is quick to share the credit with others. 

“I didn’t do it all myself,” he said. “I have a great team, I have had great development directors, and we are in a great philanthropic community.” 

Russell also spearheaded a major move for the company recently by negotiating and purchasing 30,000 handmade, and historically authentic costumes. This not only added a wealth of resources to their collection, but it provided an avenue to protect the opera’s costs, preserve the priceless costume collection (the other bidder planned to disassemble and use them as Halloween costumes), and generate revenue. They now rent them out to other opera companies and productions throughout North America. One of the recent companies they rented the costumes to was Kia Motors, for a TV commercial. 

Looking back after the past few challenging seasons of the pandemic, Russell points out that they were the first opera company in the U.S. to open up for indoor performances  during COVID. They were able to keep both the performers and the audience safe, while keeping their staff working. 

“I am especially proud of the way we came through COVID,” he said. “When it first hit, we didn’t know what the future held, but we put our heads down and found a safe way to reopen and still gave audiences what they wanted.” 

As far as his future at the opera is concerned, Russell’s goals include continuing to make sure the company is financially stable, bringing audiences fully back, while also being more artistically innovative. A big part of this is through education about why opera is still important during modern times.

Though opera has been around since the 1500s, Russell says it’s still relevant today. 

“I think it’s the way we tell stories,” he said. “The themes of an opera are the same stories we’re hearing in current days. Opera is about portraying human emotions and the human condition. It drives me a little crazy when people say they don’t relate to an opera that was set in the 1850s. It’s the same emotions, reactions, and things that humans are going through today.” 

He often runs into people who tell him they don’t like opera. Russell’s response is to ask which opera they’ve seen, and that’s when they tell him they’ve never seen one.

“People can sometimes find the art form intimidating,” he said. “I try to alleviate those fears and make people comfortable. If it‘s the language—we have translations going on above the stage, just like movie subtitles.”

He believes most people would be surprised if they gave opera a chance and attended a live performance.

“The one thing I like to say to people who have never experienced opera is to just try it.” 

Just like Russell was encouraged by his teachers as a kid, he tries to do the same to inspire those in the community to be a part of the Sarasota Opera and all the upcoming performances in the season.

When he’s out and about, running errands or eating at a restaurant downtown, Russell says people come up to him all the time, recognizing him. A big part of what he does involves conversations and relationships he has in the community.

Russell makes a point to greet each guest as they exit the theater after a show. He also thrives on the creative energy that’s constantly exuded from the staff and performers at the opera. It’s one of his favorite parts about what he does.

“I love working with the artists, our staff, and the people involved in the company,” he said. “Being with our audiences and seeing their responses—I love watching their reactions.”

It’s a feeling he knows well, and he’s never forgotten.

“Opera lovers are the most addicted kind of fan,” he said. “They travel the world to see great performers. A lot of people get very passionate about opera, and opera lovers are the most passionate.”