“The singing, however, was stellar throughout. As the lead, Klaus Florian Vogt’s silvery tenor was as convincing and pure a sound as one could expect from a “blessed power” in human form. Elza van den Heever − as his beloved Elsa, whose doubts about Lohengrin bring down the whole house of cards − added acting skills that also were highly commendable to her tremendous vocal range: she truly became a bride as the wedding gifts came in, as her dearest friends congratulated her.”
“Excel·lent la Elsa de la soprano sud-africana Elza van den Heever, que ja va mostrar les seves possibilitats a la Stuarda i sobretot a l’Idomeneo del MET. La veu és idealment lírica i pura, sense estridències, ni fixacions o portamentos. L’emissió és claríssima i també és meritòria la seva personalitat vocal, lluny de la bleda assolellada amb la que moltes sopranos transformen el rol. D’acord que davant l’aclaparadora personalitat d’Ortrud ella poca cosa té a fer, tret de sucumbir al parany que li prepara la parella malèfica, però la seva Elsa no és mai passiva.”
“Das Ereignis des Abends ist zweifellos die Norma der Elza van den Heever. Ob Koloratur oder Rezitativ, weit geschwungene Melodielinie oder entsetzter Ausruf, dieser Gesang bebt von emotionaler Intensität, setzt aber nie auf billige Effekte.”
“…die anfangs darstellerisch eher verhaltene und im Ton eine Spur zu direkte Norma wird in Frankfurt zu einer in allen Facetten schillernden Figur, gesungen von einer Sopranistin, die genau angesetzte Forte-Attacken ebenso sicher beherrscht wie samtweich hingehauchte Pianissimi, die Koloraturen nicht nur ohne Verluste meistert, sondern mit einem reichen Spektrum an Klangfarben auskleidet… Auch darstellerisch gibt die Sopranistin alles. So entwickelt sich die Titelheldin von einer verhärteten, verhärmten, ja geradezu vermännlichten Funktionsträgerin zu einer Figur, deren emotionale Achterbahnen zwischen Liebe, Hass, Wut und Verzweiflung etwas packend Archaisches haben. Den extremen Gefühlen und Handlungen einer Medea und Elektra ist diese Norma ganz nah.”
Stuttgarter Zeitung
“Gerade im Vergleich mit der mezzowarmen Gaëlle Arquez als Nebenbuhlerin und unschuldig verführter Adalgisa treten die besonderen Fähigkeiten der Elza van den Heever zu Tage. So bewegend die nervenzerfetzenden Terzenduette der beiden Konkurrentinnen um Pollione auch betören, die von Verrat über Verführung bis zum edlen Beweis der Frauenfreundschaft reichen: Immer gelingt es der südafrikanischen Sopranistin, mit der untrennbaren Melange aus höchster Belcanto-Kunst und raubtierhafter Gefährlichkeit alle Blicke auf sich zu ziehen. Sie ist Machthaberin und Mutter zugleich, milde Liebende und mondsüchtige Priesterin, reißt die Arme weit auseinander, wenn sie ihr gleißend hohes C ins Halbrund schleudert, aber auch voll zärtlich glimmender Sanftheit in der Fürsorge zu ihren Kindern.”
Frankfurter Neue Presse
“Die beherrschende Solistin ist natürlich Elza van den Heever als Titelfigur. Dabei ist sie weniger Ehrerbietung heischende Oberpriesterin als innerlich zerrissene menschliche Tragödin. Stimmlich kann sie mit ihrem manchmal leicht verschleiert wirkendem Sopran der Rolle prägnanten Ausdruck verleihen. Besonders in der Höhe entwickelt sie dabei große voluminöse Farbigkeit mit mächtigem Ausdruck.”
Online Merker
“Dann schlägt Elza van den Heevers große Stunde, denn das ehemalige Frankfurter Ensemblemitglied hat sich dem schmucklosen, drastischen und derben Habitus ihrer Auftrittsformatierung vollkommen anverwandelt. Am Boden hockend, auf Tisch und Stuhl, mit Stühlen um sich werfend, mit den Fäusten um sich schlagend, springend, sich krümmend. Eine Frau in den Trümmern ihres Espressivo-Korsetts alle ihre Mitstreiter an die Wand spielend. Gaëlle Arquez als Adalgisa hat manchmal Gelegenheit, sich diesem Furor zu stellen – vor allem im Solidarisierungsduett „Si, fino all’ore…“. Vorher, bei der Offenbarung ihrer Liebe zu Pollione gelingt dabei Elza van den Heever die schönste Passage mimischer Co-Passion, gedenkend ihres eigenen, vergangenen Glücks.”
“Bis zum Ende der Premiere wachsende Jubelstürme löst die Sopranistin Elza van den Heever in der Titelpartie aus: Normas Eingangs-Cavatine „Casta diva“ mag mit ihren Koloraturen und Verzierungen für das ehemalige Frankfurter Ensemblemitglied zwar im Grenzbereich des Möglichen liegen. Ihre weitere dramatische Verortung der Partie, darunter ihre zwingenden Spitzen und schneidend intensiven leisen Passagen, machen diese neue Frankfurter „Norma“ insoweit aber zum vokalen Großereignis”
Allgemeine Zeitung
“Bei der Premiere in der Oper Frankfurt zeigte die Sopranistin Elza van den Heever gestern schon bis zur Pause in der Titelpartie, dass die gallische Oberpriesterin von ihrem Doppelleben innerlich zerrissen ist: einerseits die charismatische Führerin spielt, anderer seits die sorgende Mutter zweier Kinder un Polliones Geliebte sein will.”
Frankfurter Allgemeine
“Sie ist bei dieser Inszenierung einer besonderen Belastung ausgesetzt, weil sie die immensen anstrengenden Vorgaben der Regie umsetzen soll und gleichzeitig im gesanglichen Bereich den enormen Anforderungen entsprechen muss. Beides hat sie mit Bravour gemeistert und kann sich in die obere Rangliste der heutigen “Normas“ einreihen.”
In der Titelrolle scheint die gebürtige südafrikanische Sopranistin Elza van den Heever in der Rolle ihres Lebens zu sein. Fast schon unglaublich, wie intensiv sie sich der Rolle hingibt und Normas widerstrebenden Gefühlen von rasender Eifersucht, Wut, Verzweiflung, aber auch von Sehnsucht und Liebesbedürftigkeit Ausdruck verleiht und sie als starke Frau von heute zeichnet. Die gesanglich überaus anspruchsvolle Partie, die ja auch gerne mit der legendären Maria Callas in Verbindung gebracht wird, meistert sie vortrefflich und das Publikum scheint währenddessen den Atem anzuhalten.
“Elza van den Heever – was für eine Norma! Schon mehrfach hat sie, die einmal Ensemblemitglied war, in Frankfurt gesungen und immer wurde sie begeistert gefeiert. Ihre Norma ist ein Höhepunkt. Sowohl sängerisch, als auch darstellerisch ist sie eine emotional-extreme Titelheldin. Ihre Stimme anfangs noch verhalten, entfaltet im Lauf des Abends ihr enormes Können, Stimm-Artistik pur. Tiefe, höchste Höhe, eine unglaubliche Spannweite ihrer Stimme muss sie bewältigen. Ihre Wut- und Hassausbrüche sind markant und ihre mütterlichen, ihre der Liebe gedenkenden Augenblicke sind von überwältigender Zartheit, ein Pianissimo vom Feinsten.”
“Dès son premier récit « Sedizione voci », Elza van den Heever impose une autorité mystique qui lui est propre. Une attitude presque masculine pour dépeindre la femme à fort caractère qu’est Norma, matérialisée par un bas-medium d’une intensité profonde, qui concourt à un effet édifiant et dramatiquement tendu. C’est encore plus vrai dans son tempo di mezzo « Oh non tremare » où la largeur s’impose aux ornements di bravura et où les contre-ut découlent d’attaques à nu après des sauts de douzième, ou bien encore les trilles dans les bas-medium du « I Romani a cento ». Cette Norma rugit mais distille aussi une poésie étrange. La soprano dramatique affirme également des aigus amples et brillants, tantôt flottants, tantôt appuyés – des aigus relatifs toutefois puisque la tessiture du rôle-titre ne dépasse pas le contre-ut et qu’il s’agit souvent de si ou si b. Tout au long de son interprétation, le rayonnement de la voix s’y fait pur magnétisme grâce à un délié vocal à couper le souffle, magnifiant un art de tragédienne porté par une projection des mots signifiante pour une autorité décuplée. Des coloratures nourries d’harmoniques, des cantilènes réussies car suspendues… La fameuse cavatine « Casta Diva » est ce soir une belle leçon de bel canto : longueur de souffle, art du son filé, mezze voci impalpables puis coloratura di bravura, et fiorito chromatique dans la cabalette. Tout y est.”
“Nadie puede destruir a mujeres tan vigorosas como Norma van der Heever – Una violenta e incontenible explosión de ira de la soprano sudafricana Elza van den Heever, encarnando magníficamente a Norma, de Vincenzo Bellini, arrancó delirantes ovaciones del público en el estreno de una nueva producción (la última de la temporada 2017/2018) de la Ópera de Frankfurt.
Elza van den Heever (Johnannesburgo, 1980) es ella misma en la Norma que nos entrega con gran pasión, tanto histriónica como vocalmente, en los niveles más agudos o más oscuros, en las riquísimas coloraturas, en los pianissimos o en los fortíssimos; ningún clon de legendarias sopranos históricas que hicieran celebérrimo este papel, ni siquiera en el timbre, y menos aún en el aria Casta diva.”
“Serata di grazia per cast e orchestra. La Norma di Elza van den Heever domina la scena dall’inizio alla fine con una fisicità potente e magnetica. Impossible staccare lo sguardo dalla sua figura, sia che sieda pensosa su un tavolo sia che spinga spiritata il suo popolo alla guerra e alla strage. In effetti, la riuscita di questa Norma un po’ particolare deve molto alla recitazione della protagonista, così capace di rimandare i sentimenti estremi di una donna che sta crollando sotto il peso dei drammi privati. A tratti potrebbe anche non cantare, i movimenti e gli occhi già trasmettono tutto. Ma fortunatamente canta e restituisce con classe la dignità e le esplosioni emotive di una parte vocalmente complessa e ampia. Casta Diva parte sommessa e poi riempie l’aria di vibrazioni e colori accorati. La sua voce si amalgama bene con quella di Adalgisa, il terzo lato del triangolo amoroso, fin dal duetto del primo atto “Sola, furtiva, al tempio” in cui la giovane scatena l’ira della protagonista rivelandole la sua relazione con Pollione.”
“So physisch, so entäubert ist das nicht oft zu sehen: Elza van den Heever als Norma agiert im Panzer der Verletzung wie ein wildes Tier, das zugleich zur Ruhe kommen will.”
Opernwelt
“Die beherrschende Solistin ist natürlich Elza van den Heever als Titelfigur. Dabei ist sie weniger Ehrerbietung heischende Oberpriesterin als innerlich zerrissene menschliche Tragödin. Stimmlich kann sie mit ihrem manchmal leicht verschleiert weikenden Sopran der Rolle prägnanten Ausdruck verleihen. Besonders in der Höhe entwickelt sie dabei große, voluminöse Farbigkeit mit mächtigem Ausdruck.”
Der Neue Merker
“Meglio di così era difficile che le riuscisse. In quattro e quattr’otto è riuscita a raccogliere un cast rispettabile con a capo il soprano sudafricano Elza van den Heever particolarmente versata nei ruoli drammatici e appassionati come Donn’Anna, Elsa di Brabante, Elisabetta di Valois, Desdemona, Leonora (Verdi) e Leonore (Beethoven) in cui ha mietuto grandi successi internazionali. Il suo impegno nel ruolo di Norma è stato totale sia vocalmente che scenicamente, sintonizzando entrambi con straordinaria concentrazione: una grande attrice (nel senso letterale: „colei che agisce“ scenicamente) oltre che grande cantante dalla eccezionale tecnica vocale.
Quello che contraddistingue la van den Heever è la gamma vastissima e l’espressività accentuata ma senza cadere mai nell’estremo o nel cattivo gusto. Indimenticabile il tono di mesta rassegnazione che ha dato all’attacco dello stupendo duetto finale Qual cor tradisti, pezzo già filosoficamente ammirato da Schopenhauer quale manifestazione della negazione della volontà di vivere.”
“Sensacional resultó la belliniana Norma en Fráncfort, con una fulminante Elza van den Heever como protagonista en un juego de cámara oscuro y amenazante, de una dimensión vital digna de Strindberg. Trepa por las paredes, brinca, las sillas de despedazan cuando la mesa está servida… Y, al final, el fuego.
Se trata de una heroína sublevada de carne y hueso, grandiosamente cantada por Elza van den Heever, capaz de dar vida a todos los registros que ofrece su penuria”
Scherzo
“Die sechs Vorstellungen von Vincenzo Bellinis Belcanto-Oper “Norma” an der Oper Frankfurt mit dem großartigen Elza van den Heever waren im Nu ausverkaft.”
“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 haben.” She stood up to the more wildly unpredictable Elektra throughout the night, never pulling away from a fight. It gave the character added dimension and a strong sense of internal conflict – she wants to help her sister and craves vengeance too, but she is not quite as extreme and won’t descend to the depths of murder to achieve those goals.”
“Ms. van den Heever’s melting, plaintive singing conveyed the character’s fragile emotions beautifully. But during intense confrontations with Elektra, Ms. van den Heever cut loose with steely outbursts that showed inner strength you don’t normally detect in this character, making her seem, however fleetingly, like Elektra’s soul mate.”
“Speaking of fine, the South African soprano Elsa van den Heeveris riveting as Chrysothemis. Her soprano is bright and brilliant, and her Chrysothemis, a woman who longs for a normal life amidst murder, captivity and a whole lot of crazy, is wrenching.”
“Another performance of major stature came from soprano Elza van den Heever as Chrysothemis, Elektra’s sister, who is not just a simpering foil for her sibling–as she is often portrayed–but a woman who wants more than just revenge for her father’s murder. In her soaring, lyric voice, we hear her longing for a richer life, a fuller life and the joy of finding that her brother, Orest, is still alive and ready to carry out the revenge of the House of Atreus. The scenes between van den Heever and Goerke worked beautifully.”
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.”
“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 poisoning I’ve seen on a stage, her head lolling around as she sang her last breaths. The Luna-Leonora duet between van den Heever and Mulligan in Act IV was quite glorious.”
“Wenn Elza van den Heever in der Partie dieser großen Liebenden vom Himmel singt, katapultiert sie das Premierenpublikum in den siebten Opernhimmel. Die Sopranistin sorgt mit dem prachtvollen Bariton Brian Mulligans als Graf Luna für die musikalisch stärksten Momente in dieser Koproduktion mit dem Royal Opera House Covent Garden.”
“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…”
“Van den Heever, who began her road to prominence with the San Francisco Opera, proved just as compelling as an angry, embittered drunk — unleashing long, forceful vocal phrases whose implacability belied her tottery stage business — as she had in the stately early phase of her ascendancy.”
“This kind of specialized singing also takes a great deal of stamina. The role of Alcina, in particular, calls for a series of arias that test every aspect of the singer’s talent. Elza van den Heever sang her da capo arias with runs, trills, added decorations and a wide tapestry of dramatic vocal colors.”
“The cast is led by powerful soprano Elza van den Heever, who plays a seductive Alcina. Though darkly unhinged, the enchantress shows signs of grief and appears almost sympathetic in her struggle to keep her lover.”
“In the title role, van den Heever was subtle yet poised in her interpretation. Clad in a sleek black dress with a singular pink silk glove, van den Heever used her height to her advantage to intimidate the mortals and sucker them onto her island.”
“As an elegant Alcina driven to drink, Elza van den Heever sang with stirring beauty – the devotion with which she conveyed her love for Ruggierio in act one would not have been out of place as a Passion aria – but also commanded thrilling power (and an unnervingly diabolical cackle).”
“Elza van den Heever was dignified and forbidding in the title role of the sorceress whose magical island is destroyed. The statuesque South African soprano seduced with the beauty of her voice, especially in impeccably tuned and agile melismas.”
“In the title role, Elza van den Heever was a convincing enchantress, pink glove and all. She sang with careful control, a beautiful pianissimo and long, expressive lines …”
Sharps and Flatirons
The role of Alcina, in particular, calls for a series of arias that test every aspect of the singer’s talent. Elza van den Heever sang her da capo arias with runs, trills, added decorations and a wide tapestry of dramatic vocal colors.
“Elza van den Heever, the alternate COC Norma last season, was a statuesque, regal Alcina. The staging for her was essentially static in Act One—only later did she participate in the shenanigans. Vocally the role suits her well, showing off her ability to spin a long line with seamless legato. Her best moment was the affectingly delivered “Ah! Mio cor,” where she held the stage beautifully in the very long aria. If Alcina is the serious one, her sister Morgana is over-the-top funny in this production, looking like someone straight out of the Folies Bergère cabaret hall. Kudos to soprano Anna Christy for being totally game—if anything she looked like she was having a terrific time. She certainly got the biggest laughs of the evening. Her light soprano suited the role, a few edgy moments at the top notwithstanding.”
“Elza van den Heever, the South African soprano who has sung leading roles at the Met and other major houses, was a tower of strength as the sorceress.”
“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.”
“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 such a singer, the South African soprano Elza van den Heever. She triumphs in that demanding role in TDO’s glorious production at the Winspear Opera House.
Van den Heever started out as a mezzo and that darker quality is apparent in her current voice. As Norma, she demonstrates a mastery of the requirements for a perfect Bel Canto performance: evenness of range from top to bottom, clean coloratura work, the use of the messa di voce (a gradual crescendo followed by a matching diminuendo while holding a single note), great dynamic control, the ability to spin a long melody, the capability to blaze out in hot anger or quietly invoke tenderness and heartbreak, and control over her vibrato for dramatic effect.
Her first test comes early in the opera with the famous aria “Casta Diva.” Van den Heever’s singing is divine. She does all of this while maintaining the dignity expected of a Druid Priestess.”
“Her voice is a wonder of complexity: bold in top coloratura with an almost dusky lower range. Her soprano projects well even in softer dynamics and in her chest register, and she uses a wide range of vocal colors to evoke Norma’s emotional state, from despair to resolve, in true bel canto style. Hers is a voice of masterful versatility.”
“The title role is a challenging one and South African-born soprano Elza van den Heever delivered the fireworks expected. Van den Heever barely took a breath while executing the embellishments, trills and rapid-fire runs that make Norma the epitome of the bel canto genre. Her vocal range was best showcased on Norma’s signature aria “Casta diva.” When performing the sad melody “Teneri figli’ (Tender Children), during which Norma contemplates murdering her children, Van den Heever adeptly conveyed Norma’s bipolar nature.”
“Regarded as one of the most demanding roles in opera, the title role of Norma was perfectly executed by South African soprano Elza van den Heever. She delivers a performance nothing short of stunning, naturally conveying Norma’s power, anger, heartbreak, and fragility. Her performance in arias and duets is superb, but the female duets featuring Norma and Adalgisa were the highlights of the opera.”
“Van den Heever demonstrated the control and agility needed for “Casta diva” and delivered a truly impressive overall performance. The South African soprano is a veteran of the opera stage…”
“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, cajoled, and cried “unfair!” while never forgetting that this was Mozart.
When van den Heever–who made such a huge impression as Elisabetta in the Met’s MARIA STUARDA, opposite both Joyce DiDonato and Sondra Radvanovsky–delivered this final aria (she also had earlier, less showy ones), it was a great moment to be in the house.”
Richard Sasanow, Broadway World
“Van den Heever was excellent as Elettra, rivaling Sierra for the beauty of her singing and relishing the sheer excitement of the character’s music. Where Ilia expresses various degrees of love, tenderness, and duty, Elettra is, well, Elettra, full of barely concealed violent passions and murderous rages. Van den Heever handled this entire range with her voice (although the impressive architecture of her dress was nearly a character in itself), and managed to be not only gripping but sympathetic. She burned with controlled intensity in her Act I aria “Tutte nel cor,” and the mad scene and collapse in Act III, when she realizes she has lost Idamante to Ilia, was stupendous (with the unintentionally comic touch of the audience cheering for her as a cohort of supernumeraries carried her catatonic body offstage).”
George Grella, New York Classical Review
“Vocally and dramatically, the role is a tough assignment. The soprano Elza van den Heever triumphs in it. This Elettra has a very fragile majesty. When she gets her way, she turns vulnerable, singing with sensuality and warmth. But when crossed, she erupts with unhinged intensity and steely sound, as in her furious final aria”
Anthony Tommasini, New York Times
“Elza van den Heever lavishes broad bravado on the mean smirks of Elettra, and makes the quasi-devil sing like a quasi-goddess.”
Martin Bernheimer, Financial Times
“Elza van den Heever sang very creditably as Elettra and reveled in a role that—as directorially conceived—requires flamboyant camping and storming about. The crowd duly went wild for “D’Oreste, d’Ajace” (given, as always here, with the accompanied recit that is actually its alternate) … van den Heever deserved her cheers.”
David Shengold – Opera News
“Elettra is the Ying to Idomeneo’s Yang, her selfish nature echoing his and yet also matching his sense of guilt. After all, she murdered her mother and he is tasked with murdering his son. Finding someone that cancreatethe same sense of darkness and yet similar empathy as he does is always a tall order for the interpreter of this role. Not for Elza van den Heever.
……van den Heever’s violent potential reached its apex in an unhinged “D’Oreste, D’Aiace,” the opera’s most famousaria. It was a vicious rendition performed with abrasive tone quality and forceful accents throughout, Elettra’s venom being spewed with every word that came from van den Heever’s rich voice. But the more slime she threw about the more out of control she was of her physical nature, the character slowly imploding until she collapsed to the ground, a few shudders and shakes emerging as if her body remained possessed by some demon. The moment was so dramatically effective that van den Heever won arguably the most enthusiastic ovation of the night.”
David Salazar, Operawire.com
“At her side, superb in a sumptuous black and silver dress, Elza van den Heever puts on a dazzling Elettra, one of the few to sing her three arias with the same happiness. Moving from the panting rhythm of “tutte nel cor vi sento” to the melancholy of “Idol mio” before letting the voice speak to evoke the “Soavi zeffiri” is not easy, the soprano reaches it via a sovereign technique and a perfect control of her breath. In the third act, her timbre with the perfect arc and her high-pitched range allows her to offer a hallucinating “D’Oreste, Aiace” which earned her a merited ovation from the Met audience.”
{A ses côtés, superbe dans une somptueuse robe noire et argent, Elza van den Heever campe une Elettra éblouissante, l’une des rares à chanter ses trois airs avec le même bonheur. Passer du rythme haletant de « tutte nel cor vi sento » à la mélancolie de « Idol mio » avant de laisser planer la voix pour évoquer les « Soavi zeffiri » n’est pas chose aisée, la soprano y parvient grâce à une technique souveraine et un parfait contrôle du souffle. Au troisième acte, son timbre au galbe parfait et ses aigus percutants lui permettent d’offrir un « D’Oreste, d’Aiace » hallucinant qui lui vaut une ovation méritée de la part du public du Met.}
Christian Peter, forumopera.com
Top 5 Performances of 2017: …When you add in Elettra portrayed by Elza van den Heever – who shame on me I was seeing sing for only the second time – the result was sensational and I wandered onto the streets of Manhattan thoroughly satisfied as the clock neared midnight.
