Dutch conductor Michael Engelbrecht has established himself as a versatile and dynamic musician, equally at home in the operatic and symphonic repertoire.

In May 2025, he conducted the highly-acclaimed revival premiere of Jules Massenet’s Werther at the National Theatre Košice (Slovakia), featuring internationally renowned singers Elena Maximova and Zurab Zurabishvili in the leading roles. The production received widespread critical acclaim. Opera Slovakia wrote:

“Dutch conductor Michael Engelbrecht led the musicians with clarity and control. Before the interval, the orchestra played with unprecedented cohesion, and after the interval, the sound took on a strong romantic quality. The conductor deserves all praise.”

Following the success of Werther, he returned to the National Theatre Košice for performances of Verdi’s Nabucco and subsequent revivals of Werther.

In 2023, Engelbrecht was awarded the prestigious Mengelberg Conducting Award by the Swiss Willem Mengelberg Stiftung. The jury praised his exceptional conducting talent, clear and precise technique, broad command of repertoire, and his ability to communicate a compelling musical vision to orchestral musicians.

Earlier international recognition came in 2021 when he won First Prize at the Blue Danube / Béla Bartók International Opera Conducting Competition with the State Opera Stara Zagora (Bulgaria). The competition repertoire included complete performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Bizet’s Carmen, Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci and Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle.

He also received First Prize at the Budapest International Masterclass & Competition for Orchestral Conducting, where the musicians of the MÁV Budapest Symphony Orchestra themselves selected him as the winning conductor.

As a guest conductor, Engelbrecht has appeared among others with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, National Theatre Košice, State Opera Stara Zagora, Philips Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Eindhoven Symphony Orchestra and the Dutch National Student Orchestra. With the Philips Symphonic Wind Orchestra he conducted concert tours in China, including performances in Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai.

Michael Engelbrecht is currently Chief Conductor of Symphonic Wind Orchestra Crescendo Krimpen aan de Lek and Spotlight Orchestra Dordrecht. He is also founder and Artistic Director of the Dutch Wind Symphony.

He studied conducting and tenor tuba at the conservatories of Tilburg and Maastricht and further refined his artistry through numerous international masterclasses.

Before dedicating himself entirely to conducting, Engelbrecht enjoyed a distinguished career as a professional tenor tuba player. He won First Prize at the Concours Mondial de Tuba et Euphonium in Guebwiller (France) and performed with leading orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Dutch Ballet Orchestra, Residentie Orkest The Hague and Aachen Symphony Orchestra. During this period, he collaborated with conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Ingo Metzmacher, Marc Albrecht and Sir George Benjamin.

His broad orchestral experience, combined with an energetic musical personality and a strong affinity for both opera and symphonic repertoire, continues to shape his rapidly developing international conducting career.