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 Founder Peter N. Karp embraced the idea that the grand opera voices of the past were missing from the main stage and created EMBRA to provide complete management services for opera singers exclusively. His consistent vision, and steadfast demand for rich and layered voices, mandated that we populate our roster with distinctive voices and actors, much like those performers that stalked the stages of the world's opera houses during the golden days of opera. EMBRA has followed that vision and the roster represents this philosophy. In 2005 Maestro Terry Metzger joined the company as a partner and with his addition a conductor’s perspective was added to the organization.
EMBRA also brings a broad based knowledge of demographics and marketing to the table via their Managing Partner, Peter N. Karp. His forty plus years in the financial/legal community allow him to bring an “un-biased” view to the artistic world; something clearly in demand with today’s difficult economic climate for the arts. Since 2006 he has been consulting to smaller opera companies on the aspects of how to build a better season financially by increasing ticket sales, adding patrons and donor’s, attracting the substantial sponsors necessary to insure a successful season, and to garner community support.
An important aspect of our company is an active advisory board, populated with a group of experts, some of those men and women that were directly responsible for the golden era of opera. With conductors, directors, voice teachers, coaches, linguists, and repertoire specialists that performed with, trained those legendary artists from the past, or work with many of the renowned still active performers in opera, EMBRA affords performers an important career enhancing resource. We also offer access to a highly select group of the finest voice teachers and coaches currently working in opera; people not only with great careers but those individuals that have the ability to impart how to sing properly, and/or the proper repertoire, so that an artist can actually absorb and assimilate the information into their body. Additionally EMBRA maintains a network of quality accompanists throughout the country assuring our artists the best possible audition experience.
We also encourage, and sponsor, specialized master classes and coaching opportunities with those experts that actually hire working artists. This provides singers the chance to actually learn what these experts demand when the artist competes for roles via the audition process. These opportunities also help to “build” the next generation of opera aficionados, those future ticket buyers necessary to keep opera financially healthy, by inviting the public to witness the training process. EMBRA takes no financial participation in these events and, in fact, has even supplemented the costs to insure artists the opportunity to attend. Auditing seats are offered at little or no cost to all students, seniors, young opera singers, and the general public.
Recently we created a “Young Artist Division” to represent those artists fresh out of the University and Conservatory shell whose voices represent the EMBRA or what we call “Grand Opera” sound. Our intent is to assist these young singers in the building process of a quality career while offering the opportunity to secure work with appropriate companies under the watchful eye of management, preventing missteps or the problems many young artists experience without proper guidance. Based on current developments we have decided to modify this division of our roster and have changed the title to “Emerging Artist Division” to accommodate an increasing number of artists seeking representation that are, for whatever reason, later entrants into the world of Opera. While offering only limited stage experience, and/or not being the appropriate age for most Studio, Young Artist, or Resident Artist programs, they will offer the EMBRA quality of voice and stage presence companies seek. For budget minded smaller companies these artists will offer an affordable alternative to our Main Stage roster.
EMBRA offers opera companies a source for consummate professionals that can consistently deliver the highest performance standard on stage. Our artists are prepared to "rescue" a production when an immediate replacement might be needed on extremely short notice; something EMBRA experienced in 2004, 2005, 2007, and again in 2008. In one instance the title role was performed with only one rehearsal held the day before curtain up. EMBRA takes great pride in providing such a service to an opera company in need.
Artists can feel confident that we will provide an exceptional opportunity for career success while opera companies and symphonies can be assured that our artists represent a standard of excellence above the norm; with special consideration towards those budgetary constraints most companies face today.
Interested artists may submit a current resume, 8x10 head-shot, and CD or DVD with 5 arias (one each in English, French, German, and Italian with the 5th an open choice) recorded within the past six months for consideration. Auditions are held in New York, California, and Texas. Please submit all materials to: EMBRA, Post Office Box 231399, Encinitas, CA 92023-1399.
WE DO NOT ACCEPT ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS. |
