Sarasota Opera Appoints PJ Albert as Managing Director

Sarasota Opera Appoints PJ Albert as Managing Director

September 29, 2026 — Sarasota Opera announces the appointment of PJ Albert to the role of Managing Director, a newly defined position that will oversee finance and theater operations and be a key partner to General & Artistic Director Richard Russell. Mr. Albert began his work at the opera on Monday, September 28.

Mr. Albert brings to Sarasota Opera over twenty-five years of experience in commercial and non-profit arts and entertainment management, most recently as the Executive Director of the Capitol Civic Centre in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Mr. Albert has previously held the leadership roles of Managing Director, General Manager, Director of Finance, and Director of Guest Services, with organizational credits including Orlando Shakes, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Santa Fe Opera, and RSL Theatrical. Beyond the performing arts, Albert’s background encompasses event management, technical design, and corporate production.

In his new role as Sarasota Opera’s Managing Director, PJ Albert will serve as a member of the executive team, providing financial, operational, and organizational leadership at this pivotal moment in the company’s evolution. “I am honored to step into the role of Managing Director at Sarasota Opera during such an exciting chapter in the company’s history,” says Mr. Albert. “The performing arts have been my life's work. I look forward to bringing my deep-seated passion for theatre, my background in non-profit arts leadership, and an eagerness to connect with the amazing people who make Sarasota such a special place to live and create. Sarasota Opera is renowned for its extraordinary artistic standard and deeply rooted community connection, and I look forward to building upon that legacy.”

“I look forward to having PJ Albert join us in this newly minted position of Managing Director,” says General & Artistic Director Richard Russell. “His experience in the arts and commitment to non-profit service position him to be a key player in this period of institutional and artistic growth, and we are delighted to welcome him to the Sarasota Opera team.”

A native of Chicago Heights, Illinois, Mr. Albert studied Theatre at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and holds a Certificate in Business Management for Nonprofits. Deeply committed to community leadership and cultural infrastructure, he served on the Board of Directors for the Manitowoc County Expo Center and previously guided the Capitol Civic Centre.

About Sarasota Opera

Sarasota Opera is in its 68th season of bringing world-class opera to Florida’s Gulf Coast and celebrating 100 years of the historic Sarasota Opera House. The company was launched in 1960 in the historic 320-seat Asolo Theater on the grounds of Sarasota’s Ringling Museum of Art. In 1984, the company moved into the former A.B. Edwards Theater — now the Sarasota Opera House. Since then, the company has gained an international reputation as one of the leading regional opera companies in the U.S. through initiatives such as the Masterworks Revival Series and the Verdi Cycle. The company’s Sarasota Youth Opera is the most comprehensive youth opera program in the U.S. The Sarasota Opera House, which underwent a $20 million renovation in 2007, has been called “one of America’s finest venues for opera” by Musical America. Richard Russell has served as General Director since 2012 and added the role of Artistic Director in June 2026.  Sarasota Opera is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts. Programs are paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues.

Sarasota Opera • 61 N. Pineapple Avenue • Sarasota, FL 34236 • (941) 366-8450 • SarasotaOpera.org