Philip Eisenbeiss only ever had one real ambition: to become an opera singer. But scores of frustrated voice coaches convinced him to abandon this aspiration. Today he is a partner at a leading Hong Kong based executive search firm, where he runs the Wealth Management practice. He started his career in journalism and spent nearly a decade in banking. He was born in Germany and holds degrees in history and international relations from Columbia University.

Philip’s first book Bel Canto Bully: the life and times of the legendary opera impresario Domenico Barbaja (Haus Publishing) has become one of the most talked-about books on opera, to his own and his publisher’s enormous surprise. An eponymous music CD featuring selections from operas commissioned by Barbaja was issued by Naxos Music. This book has been published in Italian (Il Padrino del Belcanto, EDT) and German (Domenico Barbaja: Schillernder Pate des Belcanto; Sieveking).

Philip spent nearly 10 years as a Board Director of Opera Hong Kong. In 2023 he joined the Board of Trustees of Opera Rara, the London-based opera company and recording label which specialises in recording and performing forgotten operatic repertoire from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

He regularly writes and lectures about opera.

Living in Asia for over thirty years, Philip will fly anywhere for a good opera. The airlines love him. He no longer sings.