Sarasota Opera Announces Departure Of Longtime Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi

Sarasota Opera has announced that Maestro Victor DeRenzi, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, has decided to leave the company at the end of his current contract in May 2026. This follows an extraordinary 44-year tenure that makes him the longest-serving artistic director in the world, and that has shaped the company into one of the most respected in the country. 

Maestro DeRenzi, who joined Sarasota Opera in 1982, leaves a legacy unmatched in American opera. Under his visionary leadership, the company completed the monumental Verdi Cycle in 2016, becoming the only opera company in the world to perform every note composed by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. He also founded the Masterworks Revival Series and the American Classics Series, bringing rarely performed operas and 20th-century American works to Sarasota audiences.

Throughout his time at Sarasota Opera, DeRenzi has overseen more than 1,500 performances of 218 productions performed in 9 languages. Of those, he conducted close to 900. His commitment to artistic excellence earned Sarasota Opera international acclaim and transformed the Sarasota Opera House into a cultural landmark.

Richard Russell, General Director of Sarasota Opera, said: “What Sarasota Opera has become over the last four decades is the result of Victor's vision. His uncompromising attitude toward producing the best possible work for our audience has shaped every aspect of this company. His legacy will continue to inspire us.” 

DeRenzi also championed education and professional development through the creation of the Sarasota Youth Opera and the Apprentice and Studio Artists programs for singers, pianists, and stage directors, nurturing talent and fostering community engagement.

Said DeRenzi: “In 1982, I was hired by Sarasota Opera to give artistic direction to the company and its future. I am proud that my belief in opera and my unwillingness to be swayed from it has brought the company to where it is today.”

Arthur Siciliano, Chair of the Board of Trustees, added: “Victor's artistic leadership has been the cornerstone of Sarasota Opera's growth and reputation. His devotion to the art form, the artists, and the audience has elevated our company to national and international prominence. On behalf of the Board, we thank him for his decades of service.”

Richard Russell, an executive with more than 20 years' experience, who was Executive Director from 2012-2021 and General Director since 2021, will assume the role of Artistic Director in addition to his current position starting June 2026. This will ensure continuity in leadership and artistic vision as the company enters its 67th Winter Opera Festival and prepares to celebrate the centennial of the Sarasota Opera House in 2026. 

Siciliano emphasized, “The Board has complete confidence in Richard's ability to guide this company through this moment and into an exciting new chapter. Our patrons and donors should feel assured that our mission, values, and standards of excellence remain firmly upheld.”