Fidelio in Chicago
“…the clear star of this production is Elza van den Heever, who artfully combines body language and communicative singing to portray the hope and determination of Leonore but also her doubts and obvious discomfort with a disguised identity[…] The South African soprano is at her absolute best in Leonore’s big aria in Act 1, drawing on a range of sometimes dark-tinged vocal timbres to subtly and powerfully inhabit all the character’s contradictory emotions, generating an unusually long and well-deserved {…}
Die Walküre in Rotterdam
“Elza van den Heever’s Sieglinde was as theatrically intense as a concert performance allows and vocally resplendent throughout. A highlight of her singing – amongst many – was its culmination and a most rapturous ‘O hehrstes Wunder!’.” Seen and Heard International
Tannhäuser at the Metropolitan Opera
“Elza van den Heever was a radiant Elizabeth. The soprano’s voice was thrilling in “Dich, teure Halle,” as she sang of Elizabeth’s joy upon Tannhäuser’s return.” New York Classical Review “Van den Heever carried Elisabeth’s guileless faith with a light, shining tone and feathery vibrato.” Financial Times
Die Frau ohne Schatten at the Wiener Staatsoper
“Die aus Südafrika stammende Elza van den Heever ist eine kraftvoll singende Kaiserin, die die in der Höhenlage besonders fordernde Partie mit imponierender Leichtigkeit meistert und über dem Orchester wie zu schweben scheint. Atemberaubend, wie sie in der Schlussszene, alle und alles überstrahlend, das hohe C erklingen lässt, nicht schrill, sondern markig und hell. Ein Rollendebüt als mitreißendes Ereignis” Online Merker
Der Fliegende Holländer at Santa Fe Opera
“Brownlee’s enunciation was clear, his voice booming and blending well with the soprano Elza van den Heever’s mighty and ardent Senta.” New York Times “Van den Heever was a luminous Senta, singing with power, beauty, and a full palate of tone colours.” Ludwig van Toronto “Van den Heever was a vivid and impassioned Senta…” San Francisco Classical Voice “La Senta d’Elza van den Heever, enfin, domine les débats. Inévitablement doublée par une fillette, vêtue comme elle, {…}
Der Fliegende Holländer at the Metropolitan Opera
“As Senta, the woman who returns the apparitional captain’s obsessive attention, Elza van den Heever sang with a ductile soprano. In “Senta’s Ballad,” she catapulted into high-lying phrases with strength and point and drew her voice into a slender thread for beautifully formed pianissimo high notes. As infatuation consumed her, van den Heever summoned the tonal amplitude to fill out Wagner’s portrait of a love that is annihilating in its totality.” The New York Times “Van den Heever offered an {…}
Die Frau ohne Schatten in Baden-Baden
“Was man aber hört bei der phänomenalen Elza van den Heever als Kaiserin, das ist eine Stimme, die „eines Vogels leichten Leib“ zu tragen scheint. Denn genau zu diesen Worten schwingt sich der Sopran der Sängerin auf zu einem perlend-prickelnden Triller auf dem hohen A, der nur als Sprungbrett dient zum noch höheren, dreigestrichenen D, von dem herab sie in graziler Kaskade, oktavab, quintauf, septab, quintauf, die Töne hüpfen lässt wie achtlos hingeworfene Saphire. Am Ende der Oper wird sie eine {…}
Salome role debut at Opéra Bastille
“Elza van den Heever magnifie le rôle titre par une présence scénique et vocale d’anthologie” Le Monde “Elza van den Heever met pourtant d’abord sa voix en conformité avec l’apparence de Salomé dans cette mise en scène : le fantôme de Ringu en blouse blanche. Mais c’est pour mieux déployer, tout au long de la soirée, sa voix et sa performance (alors même qu’elle effectue ici sa prise de rôle). Sa qualité de prosodie et de phrasé, et plus encore l’alliage {…}
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Elza van den Heever, une Salomé en phase avec la société
sceneweb La soprano sud-africaine Elza van den Heever chante pour la première fois {…}
Trittico at Oper Frankfurt
“Elza van den Heever gibt zwei Frauen, die um ihr Kind trauern, aber zu unterschiedlichen Schlüssen gelangen. Ihre Giorgetta (Il tabarro) flieht in eine verbotene Liebschaft und als Suor Angelica (Suor Angelica) kann sie nur im Tod Frieden finden. In beiden Rollen besticht sie mit ihrer intensiven Darstellung und farbenreichen wie ausdrucksstarken Stimme.” Kultur Freak
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« La musique de Strauss me parle et je ressens un plaisir infini à m’y plonger »
Forte personnalité, tempérament ardent, voix longue et ample, la soprano Elza van den {…}
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OPERA NEWS Awards Honorees: Elza van den Heever
“Elza van den Heever is an authentic stage animal whose performances are imbued with {…}
Fidelio at the San Francisco Opera
“Russell Thomas and Elza Van Den Heever have well-matched heroic voices that exhibit great beauty of tone when buoyed up by Conductor Eun Sun Kim’s large, musically colorful orchestra. Van Den Heever’s “Abscheulicher, wo eilst du hin?” (“Monster, where are you hurrying”) showed her ability to sing in a florid style with splendid, long, Bel Canto phrases and a modicum of accurate coloratura. She easily encompassed the cold fury of the opening phrases and the warmth of the ensuing {…}
Wagnerians in Concert
“The program began with van den Heever in TANNHAUSER’s well known “Dich, teure Halle,” an ode to a beloved hall (which certainly could describe the concert’s venue in Wiesbaden). The soprano’s voice has certainly blossomed since I first heard her in her role debut as Fidelio at Caramoor. But even though Wagner’s music is the definition of music that singers have to warm up for, she was a pleasure in “Dich…” and I look forward to hearing her in the full {…}
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Midi libre: Pour la soprano héraultaise Elza van den Heever, les lieder sont toujours des “Passions”
Midi libre Le récent concert au Corum est diffusé sur le site de l’OONMO à compter {…}
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Opera Magazine: Elza van den Heever maakt zich op voor Met-Gala
Opera Magazine Sopraan Elza van den Heever zou zaterdagavond voor zo’n 1.700 mensen {…}
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Opera Magazine: Elza van den Heever debuteert in Rotterdam
Opera Magazine De concertante Die Frau ohne Schatten van het Rotterdams Philharmonisch {…}
Frau ohne Schatten / Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
“Tout change quand paraît l’Impératrice. Timbre d’argent cousu d’or, avec un aigu agile comme le vol de l’hirondelle, un galbe de la phrase aux souplesses félines, Elza van den Heever est la grande triomphatrice de la soirée. L’incarnation aura besoin de se libérer, mais pour une première fois, c’est déjà un accomplissement, qui impose l’artiste parmi les grands sopranos Strauss d’aujourd’hui.” Diapason “La soprano sud-africaine Elza van den {…}
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Pro ópera – Elza van den Heever: “Me fascina interpretar a mujeres intensas”
Pro ópera La voz de Elza van den Heever es poco común; es ese tipo de instrumento que {…}
Critical Acclaim
Wozzeck/Metropolitan Opera
““Wozzeck” requires the central character to take hold of the drama and become {…}
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ORF: “Vestal” im Theater an der Wien
Gaspare Spontinis Werk “Vestal” ist nach mehr als 100 Jahren wieder in Wien {…}
La Vestale/Theater an der Wien
“Die Südafrikanerin Elza van den Heever lässt ihren fülligen Sopran bruchlos verströmen. Die hochexpressiven Passagen dieser Schlüsselszene, mit der Spontini das Tor zur Romantik weit aufstößt, liegen van den Heever sogar noch besser.” Frankfurter Allgemeine “Elza van den Heever aus Südafrika schreckten die übergroßen Vorbilder nicht und nicht die Strapazen der Rolle. Fast allein trägt sie den drei Stunden langen Abend durch, veredelt die lyrischen Momente und packt mit dramatischen {…}
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Operawire: Artist Of The Week
Operawire Elza van den Heever is one of the most dynamic sopranos of her generation. Her {…}
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Opera News: All About Elza
Opera News South African soprano Elza van den Heever, who sings Marie in the Met’s new {…}
Mahler’s Symphony No. 8/ Bregenz Festspielhaus
“Entre las voces femeninas brilló con luz propia Elza van den Heever, con una técnica depuradísima y una proyección impecable.” Platea Magazine
La Clemenza di Tito / The Metropolitan Opera
“As the manipulative Vitellia, Elza van den Heever is dramatically flamboyant and vocally powerful.” Classical Source “Soprano Elza van den Heever, a most versatile singer who seems at home both in lyric and increasingly dynamic repertoire, took on the challenging part of Vitellia, an angry and vengeful princess who is repentant in the end and wins Tito’s forgiveness. Appearing in a dramatic but awkward costume in the middle part of the opera, she negotiated the wide range of the role with aplomb and {…}
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Playbill: Opera Stars Introduce Their Canine Companions
Playbill Little Boo Long-Haired Chihuahua, Age 3 HUMAN: Elza van den Heever, soprano, {…}
Elektra / Lyric Opera
“As Chrysothemis, Elektra’s relatively normal sister, Elza van den Heever proved a vocally well-matched sibling for Stemme’s anti-heroine. The statuesque singer unleashed reams of luxuriant soprano tone in her big moments yet also conveyed the timid, fearful qualities of a woman longing to escape this royal house of horrors for the haven of a simple domestic life.” Chicago Classical Review “The forthright meeting of the two sisters — an argument, really — was an early musical and dramatic high {…}
Wagner’s Wesendonck-Lieder / Lausanne
“Grande, au physique statuaire, la jeune soprano sud-africaine était au cœur de la seconde partie. Elle commence par chanter Wiegenlied (Berceuse) de Strauss. Le timbre est charnu, délicat, moiré, avec une ligne vocale admirablement suspendue. Puis elle s’embarque dans les Wesendonck-Lieder de Wagner orchestrés par Felix Mottl. A nouveau, la ligne de chant est souveraine, avec une forme de retenue qui fait merveille dans les nuances piano. Le troisième lied («Im Treibhaus») baigne dans une volupté {…}
Critical Acclaim
Lohengrin / Wiener Staatsoper
“The singing, however, was stellar throughout. As the lead, Klaus Florian Vogt’s {…}
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Elza van den Heever enthrals and captivates
To call Elza van den Heever one of South Africa’s most successful sopranos would be an {…}
Critical Acclaim
Norma / Oper Frankfurt
“Das Ereignis des Abends ist zweifellos die Norma der Elza van den Heever. Ob {…}
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Questionnaire de Proust : Elza van den Heever
La qualité que vous préférez chez un chanteur ? La ponctualité. Celle que vous {…}
Chrysothemis / Metropolitan Opera
“As Chrysothemis, Elza van den Heever was a revelation and arguably the scene-stealer of the night. Every time she opened her mouth, you just shifted all your attention and energy to her. It is a glorious sound that carries beautifully into the hall, no matter how demanding the orchestra is being in the moment. Every sound she uttered was ravishingly beautiful and she played up the legato singing that Strauss gives her character almost exclusively. There was arguably no passage more glorious than “Kinder will ich {…}
BWW Roundup: Stealing the Show
I couldn’t help but notice how other singers purloined the evening at two performances she shared with them. The first was in Mozart’s Idomeneo at the Met, where scene-stealer Elza van den Heever was busy at work as Elettra, bringing down the house four hours into the opera with “D’Oreste, d’Aiace.” Broadway World
Elza van den Heever: „Bei Verdi kann ich mich austoben“
Publikumsliebling Elza van den Heever kehrt nach Frankfurt zurück und eröffnet als Leonora in Verdis „Il Trovatore“ die neue Spielzeit an der Oper. Premiere ist am Sonntag. Ein Blick in die grünlich schimmernden Augen der kurzhaarigen Sängerin, und es wird klar: Hier blicken die Augen einer unverstellten Persönlichkeit zurück. Diese Deutlichkeit passt zur imposanten Statur der Sopranistin Elza van den Heever: Sie ist 1,80 Meter groß, mit einer kerzengraden Haltung, die aber nie verkrampft, sondern immer lässig {…}
Leonora / Oper Frankfurt
“Elza van den Heever exhibited daring risks and impressive range as Leonora. Her first scene alongside Opera Studio member Alison King as Ines was a bit overly twee, but she went on to have fun with her fast “Di tale amor che dirsi” in Act I, and her character’s maturity developed dramatically by the time she hit the prison arias in Act III where she took moving chances, both vocally and in her acting. This made for an interesting character as well as one of the most convincing slow deaths by {…}
Alcina / Santa Fe Opera
“Soprano Elza van den Heever infused the role of Alcina with dramatic commitment. She drew on an unusually broad dynamic spectrum, from the almost inaudible to the very loud; I found her voice to be piercing at high volume, to which she swelled not infrequently. Extreme manipulation of rhythm was also part of her arsenal. She stretched the phrases of her slow aria “Sì, son quella” like a taffy-maker, but it did prove affecting. She also managed her fast music well…” James M. Keller – The New {…}
Norma / The Dallas Opera
“As the eponymous Druid high priestess, Elza van den Heever’s Norma has it all: the power when needed, the nuanced intimacy elsewhere; coloratura of seemingly effortless fluidity; tenderness and vulnerability and scorching fury. Even at full tilt, the voice is never raw or edgy.” Scott Cantrell – Dallas News “The role of Norma requires a rare bird indeed—a dramatic coloratura soprano, meaning one who has Wagnerian heft and endurance combined with impeccable coloratura skills. TDO has just {…}
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Soprano goes for broke in “Idomeneo”
Swaying precariously from side to side, sinking to her knees and finally collapsing {…}
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Elza van den Heever, a new presence on the world’s stage
OperaMetro (OM) had the privilege of interviewing soprano Elza van den Heever (EvdH), {…}
Elettra / Metropolitan Opera
“With One Aria, Elza van den Heever Steals the Met’s Idomeneo … In van den Heever’s hands, nearly four hours into the work, Elettra–yes, the same Elektra, daughter of Agamemnon, to whom Richard Strauss devoted a whole opera–takes rejection and makes it into a thrill ride. While ”D’Oreste, d’Aiace” is not exactly a mad scene–it’s more about rage–it did manage to drive the audience wild. Van den Heever’s high-flying performance soared, {…}
White-Hot Aria, Engulfing Bass: This Week’s 8 Best Classical Moments
A Sudden Scene-Stealer – During the majestic conclusion of Mozart’s “Idomeneo,” all the crises are resolved. Neptune forgives Idomeneo, the king of Crete, for his rashness, then blesses the union of Idamante, the king’s son, and Ilia, a Trojan princess. But the fiery Elettra, who loves Idamante and must now cede him, has to be dealt with. The situation seems ripe for a burst of furious denunciation, a chilling moment. Guess again. Instead, Mozart gives Elettra a heated, scene-stealing aria, which the {…}
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The Outsider – How Elza van den Heever Found Her Voice, Overcame Insecurity & Learned to Have Fun
“I have always felt like the odd one out. The way I put my voice together. No one knows {…}
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Une voix internationale chante Richard Strauss à l’opéra de Limoges
La soprano Elza van den Heever interprètera les “Quatre derniers Lieder” de {…}
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Elza Van Den Heever : la vie de diva, une vie d’athlète
Du Metropolitan de New York à Francfort en passant par Cologne ou Bordeaux, les plus {…}
Ellen Orford (Peter Grimes) / Wiener Staatsoper
“At his side, however, Peter also had a few impressive friends. Elza van den Heever portrayed Ellen Orford, who was almost already bel canto, and who, with her full vocal commitment, had already made an impression in her moralizing speech to the village community. In the dispute with her stage partner she elevated herself to the pioneer of the assistant Peter with fine phrasing and a commanding top register.” {An seiner Seite wussten aber auch Peters wenige Freunde zu beeindrucken. Elza van den Heever gab eine {…}
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A Recipe for Success on the Opera Stage
by Fred Plotkin | Operavore | WQXR Julia Child, whom I was fortunate to know, liked to {…}
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Talking with Singers: Elza van den Heever
Schmopera South African soprano Elza van den Heever is currently in Toronto to sing one {…}
Norma / Canadian Opera Company
“…van den Heever makes a very beautiful sound, without a cutting edge. She is also a very fine actress, her Act 2 very moving. Her more lyric sound is closer in timbre and volume to the Adalgisa of Isabel Leonard, and the two blended very beautifully in “Mira, o Norma.” Musical Toronto
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Artist Basics: Elza van den Heever
Parlando: The COC Blog What she’s doing with us: South African soprano Elza van den {…}
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Road Show: Elza van den Heever in Bordeaux
One can easily imagine the much-in-demand soprano Elza van den Heever being based in {…}
Fidelio / Caramoor
“South African soprano Elza van den Heever, best known locally for her stints as Elisabetta in the Met’s Maria Stuarda, here sang her first Leonore. The voice was heroically scaled; the top enormous. She articulated the awkward passagework in “Abscheulischer!” with a dauntlessness that attested not only to her solid technique, but also informed the character herself.” Fred Cohn, Opera News “South African soprano Elza van den Heever has long had a ‘date’ with Beethoven’s Leonore, in {…}
BWW Interview: Elza van den Heever Takes on Beethoven’s Leonore in FIDELIO at Caramoor and It’s ‘No Joke’
When South African soprano Elza van den Heever made her debut at the Met, as Elizabeth I in Donizetti’s MARIA STUARDA, it was something that was totally memorable in every way–not only for her intelligent and gorgeous bel canto singing but for the lurching gait that helped show her character as unbalanced. She even shaved her hair off, the better to look the part in the HD broadcast, opposite the Maria of Joyce DiDonato. (She repeated it last season at the Met opposite Sondra Radvanovsky’s Maria.) As {…}
Peter Grimes / San Francisco Symphony
“Former San Francisco Opera Merola and Adler Fellow Elza van den Heever, who made her debut in the role of Ellen Orford opposite Skelton in the English National Opera‘s “Grimes” earlier this year, continues to show why she is a singer to watch and hear at any opportunity. Here, she maintains a dramatically significant control in Ellen’s early scenes. The voice is clear, precise, reflecting Ellen‘s quiet determination to stand up to the villagers in her defense of the man she hopes to marry. … {…}
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Meeting with Elza van den Heever, Norma in Bordeaux
Opera-Online South-African soprano Elza van den Heever comes back to the Grand-Théâtre {…}
Anna Bolena / Opéra National de Bordeaux
“Elza van den Heever moves us deeply, enthrals and captivates… she delighted us with her powerful and controlled voice, with a splendid midrange that does not exclude dazzling high notes. But those extreme notes are never sung without purpose; they are used to convey meaning, in the same way as volume or colour offer expression.” Christophe Rizoud, Forum Opéra
Interview d’Elza van den Heever, soprano
Tutti magazine Nous rencontrons Elza van den Heever au lendemain d’une superbe représentation de Norma au Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux. Malgré une prise de rôle toute récente, la soprano montre une totale adéquation avec le personnage écrasant de la prêtresse de Bellini, se jouant de toute fatigue vocale pour parvenir au terme de l’œuvre avec une énergie tout bonnement hallucinante. Pas le moindre faux pas n’émaille cette incarnation malgré l’aspect physique de la mise en scène de {…}
Don Giovanni / The Metropolitan Opera
“Elza van den Heever following her outstanding MET debut in 2012 as Elizabeth in Donizetti’s “Maria Stuarda,” is back as a vocally splendid and poignantly confused Donna Anna. Her singing is agile and focused, yet luminous and penetrating.” Anthony Tommasini, New York Times “van den Heever was excellent all evening. She conveyed real dignity and personal loss in the opening scene, and her singing of “Non mi dir” was stunning, her musicality and expression surpassing her tremendous {…}
Peter Grimes / English National Opera
“Elza van den Heever, a superb South African soprano who looks and sounds remarkably like the young Joan Sutherland, stands out from the herd as a stolid and sensible Ellen Orford, with a voice of angelic sheen and purity promising hope and redemption.” Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph
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The First Annual Excellence in Opera Awards (AKA The Freddies)
WQXR – Operavore Star-making Performance – Female: Elza van den Heever in {…}
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‘Kochen ist auch eine Kunst’
Read the entire Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung feature at the following link.
Maria Stuarda / The Metropolitan Opera
“In a notable Met debut, Elza van den Heever, a 33-year-old South African soprano whose career is rising internationally, is a vocally burnished and emotionally tempestuous Elizabeth (Elisabetta)…her voice has penetrating depth and character. She turns flights of coloratura passagework into bursts of jealousy and defiance as Elizabeth contends with the threat that Mary, a blood relative, poses to her reign in England… I admired the rawness and vulnerability of Ms. van den Heever’s performance. She was so committed {…}
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‘When The Costume Isn’t Enough’
Opera News “If I had to imagine what it is like to fly,” muses Elza van den {…}
Il Trovatore / Canadian Opera Company
“Elza van den Heever. Remember that name. The South African soprano makes her COC debut here and will be making her Metropolitan Opera debut at the end of the year. Her performance as the piece’s tragic heroine, beloved of two brothers who are also sworn enemies, hit all of the emotional touchstones the part requires: vulnerability, ecstatic love and heart-rending despair. From the opening notes of “Tacea la notte placida,” it was obvious we were in the hands of a singer for whom delicacy and power are not mutually {…}
Alcina / Opéra National de Bordeaux
“South African soprano Elza van den Heever played Alcina. She is an important soprano of our times, a lyric-spinto, and she has a great future ahead of her…Elza van den Heever was an exciting Alcina, more powerful than moving, and at her best in the more dramatic moments.” José Ma Irurzun, Seen and Heard International
Rinaldo / Lyric Opera of Chicago
“As Armida, the bright-voiced, fearless soprano Elza van den Heever stole every scene she was in, especially the end of Act II, in which the thwarted Armida sings a fiery aria of defiance, “Vo’ far guerra.” Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times
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‘Soprano Elza van den Heever finds her true voice’
SFGate Elza van den Heever was well along in her career as a talented mezzo-soprano when {…}
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“La joie de chanter”
Sud Ouest Avant d’aborder Leonora du « Trouvère » et le Compositeur d’« Ariane à {…}
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Opernwelt feature
Nicht erst seit ihrer gefeierten Desdemona an der Oper Frankfurt gilt sie als eine der {…}
Sound Bites feature
Opera News Elza van den Heever, who makes her Santa Fe Opera debut next month in Don Giovanni, refuses to believe that Donna Anna is a damsel in distress: “She’s muchmore coy than anybody portrays her – or chooses to direct her. Obviously the backstory to the opera is that there was an attraction to Giovanni, and she’s flirty, and she’s young. She’s probably just like any other teenager – up to no good. I’m sure she’s had her fair share of indiscretions. Her downfall, {…}