Philip Eisenbeiss

Philip Eisenbeiss only ever had one real ambition: to become an opera singer. But years of fruitless voice training and scores of frustrated voice coaches convinced him to abandon this professional aspiration.

He started his career in journalism covering stories in Morocco, Spain, Thailand and the Philippines. In 1991 he joined the Swiss bank UBS and soon moved to Asia, working in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Bangkok. Since 2001 he has been working as a financial headhunter for a leading regional executive search firm based in Hong Kong.

His first book, "Bel Canto Bully: the life and times of the legendary opera impresario Domenico Barbaja", is a biography of the most important impresario of the 19th century, a boisterous and illiterate man who launched and managed the leading composers and opera singers of the bel canto era.

Naxos Music has published an eponymous companion CD to the book, which features a selection of music commissioned by Barbaja (Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Weber, Mercadante).

Philip was born in Heidelberg to German/American parents and grew up in Switzerland. He holds degrees in history and international relations from Columbia University. He no longer sings.

Some voices on "Bel Canto Bully"

'so accurate, so exciting... While reading it you are catapulted into the 19th century amongst the theatres, passion, love, music, money, wars... simply a must for bel canto lovers, and not only them...'

--Carmen Giannattasio, award-winning soprano

'...a heck of a good read'

- Charlotte Rea, HK Magazine

'I wish I could read this book again for the first time. Philip Eisenbeiss's enthusiasm leaps from every page. In reconstructing the life of his undeservedly forgotten subject, he has left no archival or epistolary stone unturned.'

--Lynn Pan, author of Sons of the Yellow Emperor

'Finally, a biography on the greatest talent scout of Opera history!'

--Reto Mueller, General Manager, Deutsche Rossini Gesellschaft

'a delightful read, and it should appeal to opera lovers as well as anybody who has an interest in 18th-century entrepreneurship.'

- South China Morning Post