Conductor Mike Fentross has more than won his spurs as an early music specialist. He has been active since 1988 as a lutenist and since 1999 as a musical director. He has appeared as a lutenist with musicians including Ton Koopman, Marion Verbruggen, Frans Brüggen, William Christie, Sonia Prina, Andrew Lawrence King, Yo Yo Ma, Roel Dieltiens, Maria Bajo, Eduardo Lopez Banzo, Janine Jansen, Skip Sempé and Gerard Lesne, and can be heard on more than 60 CD recordings. In 1999 Mike Fentross made his debut as a conductor in a production of the New Opera Academy with the opera La Dafne by Marco da Gagliano. In August 2006, in the presence of Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, he conducted the Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht’s jubilee production of the modern-day revival of the opera l’Ipermestra by Francesco Cavalli. Since 1999 he has conducted many projects, such as Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri, Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine, Madrigals and Combattimento di Tancredi e di Clorinda, Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire, the opera Il Carro Trionfale by Paolo Quagliati, the Dutch music theatre piece Granida and the opera La Rosinda by Francesco Cavalli. In 2009 he will make his conducting debut in Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. Following his conducting of Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire he received a scholarship to enable him to extend his field of activity to include the classical orchestral repertoire. Mike Fentross is the founder and artistic director of La Sfera Armoniosa Ensemble and Orchestra and professor of lute and ensemble playing at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague.
Mike Fentross presented his colourful version with dedication and conviction.
Telegraaf August 26 2006 l’Ipermestra/Francesco Cavalli. Jubilee production Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht
Musikfestspiele Sanssouci Potsdam
Fentross' musical direction is fleet yet detailed, expressive and witty, and his musicians respond with playing of color and flexibility. Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten 2008 La Rosinda/Francesco Cavalli. Under the strict, expert and exciting direction of Mike Fentross, La Sfera Armoniosa takes great pleasure in producing, with enjoyment and creativity, all facets of sound from pathos to burlesque.
MusicalAmerica.com
He’s a real conductor, not just in his gestures...but also and above all because of his cultured and original musical way of thinking that distinguishes him from so many of his colleagues who are content to be first among equals. Fentross underlines the contrasts and experiments with rubato effects rarely heard in this repertoire as well as constructing huge gradations in dynamics which bring a whole new sound dimension to the music.
La Libre Belgique Membra Jesu Nostri/Dietrich Buxtehude. Opening concert Festival Musica Antiqua Brugge 2004.
Fentross’ exceptionally effective conducting kept soloists and ensemble concentrated.
Utrechts Nieuwsblad Monteverdi/Schönberg programme. Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht 2004
...conductor Mike Fentross led his ensemble in a glowing performance...no less fascinating was how Fentross managed to create a link between the two works by means of his great attention to colour and dynamics.
NRC Handelsblad Monteverdi/Schönberg programme.
It is a masterful example of the art of ornamentation at its most astounding. The aria as a whole sounds like a work by Monteverdi, but was newly composed by Mike Fentross.
NCR Handelsblad.
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