Henrik Engelbrecht is a Danish music communicator, author and opera expert, trained as a flautist at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. He has worked as opera editor at DR P2, opera dramaturg at the Royal Theatre and music director at Tivoli, and has been an independent author, lecturer and artistic consultant since 2014. With more than 13 books on Danish music history, he is one of the country's most widely read writers on opera and classical music.
Engelbrecht's book "The Darkened Music - Danish Musical Life Under the Occupation" was published on February 12, 2026 and received six-star reviews in, among others, Berlingske and Magasinet Klassisk.
Arbejderen published a review of "The Darkened Music" and described it as the first comprehensive overview of musical life in Denmark 1940-45.
Engelbrecht published a biography of the singer Aksel Schiøtz - the first proper biography of the artist - on the 50th anniversary of his death.
In the 2025-26 season, Engelbrecht gives lectures on "The Darkened Music" at libraries, folk high schools and cultural centers throughout the country.
Author Henrik Engelbrecht explores Danish musical life under Nazi occupation, with pianist Henrik Hansen accompanying communal singing. Free entry, registration required.
A lecture on Danish musical life during World War II, featuring operatic performances and insights from music historian Henrik Engelbrecht.
A concert exploring the Prince's Military Band's history during the German occupation, featuring original cavalry timpani, singing, and historical perspectives spanning 1930-1945.
Henrik Engelbrecht narrates the history of Prinsens Musikkorps during the occupation, with singer Amalie Dollerup performing music from 1930-1945. The evening opens with champagne.