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ELZA VAN DEN HEEVER
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
Alcina
Opéra National de Bordeaux
José Ma Irurzun, Seen and Heard International
“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.”
Christophe Rizoud, ForumOpera“The strength of her voice impresses as much as her ability
to master the volume, imperceptibly, as one reduces or increases the flow of a faucet. The
long laments with which, thread by thread, Handel wove the captivating portrait of his heroine
seem devised for this radioactive soprano with inexhaustible breath. Or at least Elza van den
Heever knows how to give the impression that these sublime arias were written for her.”
Catherine Darfay, SudOuest
“Elza van den Heever is a superlative Alcina, for the voluptuous curve of her voice, the
incandescent incarnation (seizing “Ah mio cor”) and the development she shapes of the
sorceress’ character, never the same from one air to the next.”
Mehdi Mahdavi, Altamusica
“Elza van den Heever’s Alcina is supernatural. Vocally, she exceeds anyone that could be
heard in this role today…. She masters the bel canto vocabulary with an extreme
concentration of timbre and inexhaustible dynamics. Above all, her pure emotional
engagement rounds off with a staggering “Ah! mio cor” fueled by the tension of a blazing
middle section.”
Rinaldo
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times
“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.”
John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune
“South African soprano Elza van den Heever, in a triumphant debut rages through her
impossibly florid showpiece, “Vo' far guerra,” while mimicking at a giant harpsichord the
virtuoso flourishes we are hearing from Jory Vinikour, an actual harpsichordist, in the pit.
The agility and projection of Van den Heever's singing are thrilling, and she makes a hilarious
comedienne as she rages against the men in her life.”
George Loomis, Financial Times
“As the sorceress Armida, Rinaldo’s opponent and would-be lover, Elza van den Heever sings
with determination and vocal resonance.”
Mike Silverman, The Huffington Post (Associated Press)
“The revelation of the night was South African soprano Elza van den Heever as Armida.
Blessed with a plush, dramatic voice capable of formidable power and dazzling high notes,
she also showed herself to be a first-rate comic actress.
Her Armida, given to petulance and a fondness for liquor, brought down the house with her
Act 2 vengeance aria, which the production turns into a battle of one-upmanship against
harpsichordist Jory Vinikour.”
Andrew Patner, Chicago Sun-Times
“Van den Heever is excellent in everything she does, but especially in Negrin’s greatest
scene, a tour de force “Vo’ far guerra” at the end of Act II, where she battles, figuratively and
literally, with Vinikour and his harpsichord.”
Lawrence A. Johnson, The Classical Review
“As the sorceress Armida who captures Almirena, van den Heever made an outstanding local
debut. The South African singer possesses a gleaming, powerful soprano as well as daunting
agility. Van den Heever stole the show with her vampish diva turn in the showpiece aria Vo’
far guerra.”
Mark Thomas Ketterson, Opera News
“Most impressive of all was South African soprano Elza van den Heever, who tore through
Armida’s pyrotechnical writing with dazzling assurance and unfailingly reminded us that,
reformed or not, this lady is trouble.”
Nancy Malitz, Chicago on the Aisle
“...soprano Elza van den Heever, she of clarion high notes, lightning coloratura and a huge
talent for camp”
Katy Walsh, Chicago Theater Beat
“In the best scene of the show, a fiery Elza van den Heever (Armida) faces off with orchestra.
Van Den Heever is perfectly hell-has-no-fury-like-a-woman-scorned in the unforgettable
conclusion to the second act. She is diva-licious!”
Lori Daner, Chicago Stage Review
“Conversely, the earthy humor and sheer vocal power brought to Armida by Miss van den
Heever steals every scene in which she takes part. From the first time we encounter the evil
sorceress, sweeping down from a mountaintop in her floor length red patent leather coat, to
her drunken duel with the harpsichord virtuoso who taunts her from the orchestra pit, to a
tussle with Argante on the floor of the Civic Opera House stage that is by turns sensual and
hilarious, this diva performance nearly brings down the house.”
Betty Mohr, Southtown Star (Chicago Sun-Times)
“But, it’s Elza van den Heever who steals the show. Not only does she display a goldenvoiced soprano, but van den Heever has considerable acting skills. When she was on stage,
she commanded the opera house.”
William, Opera Warhorses
“The bravura performance of the evening was without question that of Elza van den Heever’s
Armida. Director Negrin, rather than taking Armida’s fantastic aria Vo’ far guerra seriously,
unleashed van den Heever’s comic skills.
…
Van den Heever, another artist whose Mozartean skills I have admired, proved adept at
Armida’s vocal fireworks.”
Otello
Oper Frankfurt
Maritta Tkalec, Frankfurter Rundschau
“A huge voice with unbelievable capacity for nuance in moments of suffering and passion.
Full of tenderness and precision.”
Volker Milch, Wiesbadener Kurier
“Elza van den Heever offers a Desdemona, which captivates with brilliant euphony in
between moving piani and opulence.”
Michael Köhler, Deutschlandradio.de
“Elza van den Heever was the star of the evening, receiving the most applause – rightly so, as
she did not portray Desdemona as a mere passive soul, rather with dramatic intensity,
particularly in the scene with Otello in the beginning of the third act...”
Axel Zibulski, Offenbach Post
“Elza van den Heever gives a stellar performance, and is singing her way to the world’s best:
her warm, full, sonor and cultivated soprano is a treat for the ears.”
Axel Zibulski, Frankfurter Neue Press
“Elza van den Heever as Desdemona is a ray of light. Her warm and cultivated soprano,
especially in key dramatic moments is a discovery...
...the Willow Song, her Ave Maria before Otello’s murder in the last act...moving beauty and
introspection.”
Eckhard Britsch, Mannheimer Morgen
“Elza van den Heever is entitled to be celebrated as Desdemona…with her timbre and
brilliant vocal technique, she sheds light on all the emotional facets of this figure with moving
interpretation.”
Don Giovanni
Hamburgischer Staatsoper
Werner Theurich, Spiegel Online
"The ladies were even more wonderful, especially the Donnas. Anna (Elza van den Heever)
shined with subtly led high notes and a beaming power as well as with finely tuned sentiment
in between rage and disappointment - a shining, erotic ex-lover."
Così fan tutte
Opéra national de Paris
Hermine Ferrand, Classiqueinfo
“At the beginnings of a career that will no doubt be most prestigious, Elza van den Heever has
all the sensibility required for the part, and a beautiful legato.”
Marcel Quillévéré, Forum Opera
“This young South African singer...has the ideal voice for the great works of Mozart and
Strauss. Her ‘Come scoglio’ is of a deeply moving nobility as her voice flourishes, from lower
to upper registers, with astounding ease...The deep phrase of ‘Per pietà’, in the second act,
also unfolds in a most composed manner as Elza van den Heever never pushes this register.
She allows it to flourish, emanating superb emotion!”
Mark Berry, Seen and Heard International
“Elza van den Heever started off very well as Fiordiligi, her ‘Come scoglio’ was well
dispatched, with admirable firmness of tone, necessary to the crucial element, sadly
unappreciated by most stage directors, of seria parody.”
Il trovatore
Bordeaux, Grand Théâtre
Emmanuel Andrieu, Concertonet
“The triumph of the evening is South-African soprano Elza van den Heever’s spellbinding
Leonora. First heard here in 2008 in the role of Elettra (Idomeneo) and most recently as the
Composer (Ariadne auf Naxos), her role debut as Leonora will be long remembered here.
Endowed with a true Verdian spinto voice, so rarely heard today, she suggests a timbre of
endless possibilities. She delivers with equal effortlessness both the rapid cabalettas and the
long, Bellini-esque phrases. In addition to a faultless vocal technique, she boasts a masterful
top, sensuous bottom, and rich middle range, all seamlessly integrated. Her acting ability does
not disappoint: a magnetic presence combined with dramatic flair and ever-present dignity are
alternately electrifying and deeply moving. All in all, a genuine great talent to watch (perhaps
someday the Elena of one’s dreams in a future Vespri siciliani!).”
Catherine Darfay, Sud Ouest
“Elza van den Heever’s Leonora is a triumph. With voluptuous tone and luxurious vocal line,
she personifies the character’s innocence and fervor. Her “Tacea la notte” quivers long
afterwards.”
Mehdi Mahdavi, Altamusica
Birth of a great Verdi soprano
“….the vocals sizzle thanks to a quartet of voices dominated by the magnetic Leonora of Elza
van den Heever...
Elza van den Heever displays her considerable talents as Leonora. Already, her Composer in
last February’s Ariadne auf Naxos on this stage established the breadth of her abilities. It’s
evident that a great Verdian soprano is born...
… the depth of her tone seemed infinite, and the agility and dynamic power of her voice both
effortless and bold...What’s more, her fervent singing is matched by her magnetic presence.”
Ariadne auf Naxos
Opéra National de Bordeaux
Nicole Duault, Altamusica
“South African soprano Elza van den Heever, who we will soon hear in Paris as Fiordiligi in
Mozart’s Così fan tutte, owned the role of the Composer. She was as vehement as she was
warm.”
Catherine Darfay, Sud Ouest
“Elza van den Heever was a fervent and desperate Composer. The rich harmonies of her voice
enhanced the role even more.”
Christophe Rizoud, Forum Opéra
“Elza van den Heever gradually revealed her incandescent soprano voice. The metamorphosis
of her voice evolved with her character to create an unforgettable interpretation...once the
lights came back on the audience remained seated, motionless and stunned.”
Jean-Claude Meymerit, Paysud
“The Composer was beautifully played and sung by Elza van den Heever...this Composer has
a remarkable voice and a strong presence.”
Strauss: Four Last Songs with the San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael
Tilson Thomas
Joshsua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle
“Van den Heever has consistently brought tonal luster and enormous eloquence to a range of
repertoire, and her switch to soprano has only deepened her artistic instincts... Low-lying
passages such as the opening of the first song, "Frühling" ("Spring"), made good use of the
dark, smoky color of her lower register, and the sudden rise in that song's melody showed off
her wide and beautifully integrated range...van den Heever unleashed full-throated volleys of
Wagnerian sound, effortlessly riding the orchestral accompaniments and punching through
into the musical stratosphere without a hitch. And her expressive attention to the songs' poetic
texts was exemplary, especially in the death-haunted retrospective finale, "Im Abendrot" ("At
Sunset").”
Georgia Rowe, San Francisco Classical Voice
“In the first song, “Fruhling” (Spring), she sounded agile, lifting the voice with apparent ease
to the phrase “Duft und Vogelgesang” (scents and birdsong) over the orchestra’s sheer,
shimmering sound.”
Richard Scheinen, San Jose Mercury News
“Her top-most phrases were silvery and delicate, spun out like silk strands – long arcing
phrases supported by single breaths.”
Charlise Tiee, Opera Tattler
“Strauss' Vier letzte Lieder was more impressive, not least of all because of the soprano, Elza
van den Heever. Her voice is thrilling, and she soared over the orchestra with a beautiful
calm.”
Cedric Westphal, SFist
“Elza's voice soared in free flight indeed and in last night's magic circle, lived deeply in a
thousand different ways.”
San Francisco Performances Recital, San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Steven Smoliar, Examiner.com
“Van den Heever ... shaped her performance with just the right emotional tone within the
context of Handel’s musical style.”
Mark Rudio, Not for Fun Only
“This program began with virtuoso opera arias by Handel... which Ms. van den Heever put
across with urgency. She has a big voice, and her powerful high notes easily and thrillingly
filled the hall.”
Michael Strickland, Civic Center Blog
“Elza's voice is a thing of wonder.”
Così fan tutte
The Dallas Opera
Scott Cantrell, The Dallas Morning News
“Unusually, the Fiordiligi, Elza van den Heever, has a darker, denser voice than the
Dorabella, Jennifer Holloway. Van den Heever sings well and struggles heatedly with her
character’s moral dilemma.”
Dean Cassella, Fort Worth Renaissance
“Soprano Elza van den Heever and mezzo-soprano Jennifer Holloway, as Fiordiligi and
Dorabella respectively, have beautifully matched voices. Miss van den Heever also displays
considerable skills as an actress...”
Gregory Sullivan Isaacs, Theater Jones
“Ms. Heever posses a gleaming soprano voice...”
Olin Chism, Art&Seek Blog
“Van den Heever’s “Come scoglio” and Anderson’s “Un‘ aura amorosa” were two high
points that left lingering memories.”
Peter Simek, D Magazine
“In the Dallas Opera production, keep your ears tuned to rising star Elza van den Heever, who
is singing the role of Fiordiligi. After Dallas, she’s on to a string of engagements with topnotch companies, including the San Francisco Opera, the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich,
The Opera National de Paris, and Chicago’s Lyric Opera.”
Messiah
National Symphony Orchestra
Joe Banno, The Washington Post
“Elza van den Heever shone as one of the soloists in the holiday favorite at the Kennedy
Center. ”
La Clemenza di Tito
Oper Frankfurt
Parsifal, Parsifal’s Blog
“My friends were right, Elza van den Heever...was a spectacular Vitellia and her “Non piú di
fiori” was breathtaking.”
Don Giovanni
Santa Fe Opera
Dan Crafts, Albuquerque Journal
“SFO newcomer, South African soprano Elza van den Heever is a revelation, an ideal Donna
Anna. Full of power and passion, coupled with an immaculate technique, this is a voice one
cannot soon forget. Her two big arias, especially the latter one, pleads for love in the most
heartrending tones.”
Paul Wooley, ConcertoNet
“To say van den Heever has a big voice would be a gross understatement, and yet the most
impressive part of her vocal presentation lies in the fact that the soprano doesn't rely on size
alone. During her "Or sai chi l'onore," van den Heever showed that she has total control over
her voice no matter how loud she needs to sing, and in "Non mi dir" the South African
showed off excellent pianissimi and a fine legato line. She was clearly discernable in all
ensembles without drowning out her colleagues, and she also happens to be a fine, intense
actress. With a voice and stage presence like van den Heever's, the sky is the limit in terms of
her future repertoire.”
Tracy Mobley Martinez, The Colorado Springs Gazette
“Energizing roles that can be merely afterthoughts in other productions, both Elza van den
Heever (Donna Anna) and Susanna Phillips (Donna Elvira) command stellar soprano voices –
not just big as all outdoors, but full of color, restraint and when required, emotion.”
Lohengrin
Oper Frankfurt
Von Joachim Lange, Die Welt
“Intendant Bernd Loebe's statement about being proud to have instinctively brought Elza van
den Heever, born in South Africa and schooled in American anonymity, to Europe – is now
understandable, after this breathtaking and stunning debut as Elsa. One would have to search
through collections of recordings to find anything similar to it....Live, however, you seldom
get it this good.”
Wilhelm Sinkovicz, Die Presse
“Elza van den Heever is a youthful Elsa, whose light and flexible soprano neatly spins the
otherwise brutally tossed ornamentations. This voice that sounds great in all registers
captivates with stupendous developmental potential in dramatic moments. Here grows a
masterful interpreter for the trickiest (most complicated or complex) repertoire.”
Gerhard Rohde, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
“In center stage, Elza van den Heever stood as Elza. Her soprano posesses radiance
and sheen, and also tenderness, as in the hushed piano intimacy of the prayer. With
remarkable energy, she championed the concept of the production.”
Klaus-Dieter Schüssler, Hanauer Anzeiger
“Elza van den Heever's memorable role debut as Elsa connected (the role's) girlishness with a
confident portryal and courage to neurotic overtones. The South African has a glittering,
controlled, even, and warm soprano at her disposal.”
Lars-Erik Gerth, Maintal Tagesanzeiger
“...The young South African soprano Elza van den Heever as Elsa left nothing to be desired.
The Artist sang with the Voice always on the breath, fine tone in piano passages, and kept her
multi-faceted soprano focused in expressive moments.”
Claus Ambrosius, Rhein-Zeitung
“... as a new Frankfurt Opera Ensemble Member, (she) caused a sensation with vocal qualities
worthy of Bayreuth: Elza van den Heever gave (the role of) Elsa a dynamite performance.
Given the potential of her fresh, young dramatic soprano voice, it is certain that she will be in
demand for more great roles.”
Axel Zibulski, Wiesbadener Kurier
“....in particular Elza van den Heever, the magnificent Frankfurt Opera's Elsa, was the vocal
Being-of-Light of this premiere. Her soprano is clear, strong, and gleaming.”
Don Carlo
Oper Frankfurt
Frankfurter Rundschau
“...You must see Don Carlo because of Elza van den Heever. She sings Elisabetta di Valois in
the present revival. The young South African is a great actress and has a huge stage presence.
But that is not all. She is above all one thing: Voice. Whoever loves voices, will love Elza van
den Heever. Opera houses were built for voices like hers.”
Frankfurter Neue Presse
“...At the pinnacle stood Elza van den Heever as Elizabeth, an ensemble member on the way
to a world class career, who developed in intensity all the way up to the big Act 4 scene; she
sings with sheer intensity, marked with rythmic brilliance and effortlessness in the high
tessitura.”
Don Giovanni
Arizona Opera
John Allison, Opera Magazine
“Elza van den Heever showed again that she is developing into a major artist: her singing as
Anna had exciting amplitude, her tone is rich and dintinctive, and she’s good on stage. ”
The Arizona Republic
“...Soprano Elza van den Heever, as Donna Anna, has one of the best voices ever presented by
Arizona Opera and should be a star anywhere. Her voice carries beautifully and in her stararias, such as "Or sai chi l'onore," she never becomes shrill - a pitfall into which even some
great sopranos sometimes fall-but always remains fluent and glorious. Please bring her back.”
Cathy Burch, Arizona Daily Star: AZ STAR NET
“Perhaps the biggest difference between the Saturday night and Sunday matinee performances
was in the vocal divide of soprano Twyla Robinson (Saturday) and South African soprano
Elza Van Den Heever (Sunday) as Donna Anna. Both were splendid vocally, but they were so
entirely different that it was like watching two distinctive operas. Robinson showed off a
warm tone and outstanding technical proficiency with her Donna Anna, portraying Giovanni’s
deceived victim as sympathetic and cleverly vengeful. In a nutshell, you liked her, felt sorry
for her and walked away thinking she was a genuinely nice person but a little naive. Van den
Heever’s Donna Anna was angrier, grittier. She wasn’t going to be nice about what Giovanni
did to her, from his masked attack on her to slaying her father in a sword duel. Vocally, van
den Heever, in her AO debut, was stunning. She has this big, Italianate-grounded soprano that
pierces the air and goes for the juggler. She was one of the most arresting new singers to stand
on an AO stage in recent years, and hopefully we will see her there again.”
Mahler/Symphony No. 9 with the San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael
Tilson Thomas
Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle
“...And the lineup of vocal soloists was nothing short of magnificent. Sopranos Erin Wall and
Elza van den Heever led the contingent with bright, piercing tones and uncannily precise
intonation.”
Charlise Tiee, Opera Tattler
“Van den Heever's voice sounded as gorgeous as ever, full, lovely, yet not at all cloying.”
Idomeneo
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
Christian Merlin, Figaro
“Thank you for having discovered the South African soprano Elza van den Heever, who
tossed off the impossible role of Elettra with dramatic, as well as musical aplomb.”
José M Irurzun, Seen and Heard International
“The vocal casting offered very interesting names and struck me as being the best casts seen
in Bordeaux for years…South African Elza van den Heever was a major discovery as Elettra.
She has a very important voice and she will have a very bright future career. Hers is a wide
voice, almost a spinto or dramatic soprano, with a pleasant timbre in the middle, and very
easy in the upper register. I would say she is a dramatic soprano d’agilita, perfectly suited for
this role…There were ovations from the packed house after the big arias for Idomeneo and
Elettra, and at the final bows all the performers had a very warm reception, especially van den
Heever and Kamensek.”
Il Tabarro
Oper Frankfurt
Shirley Apthorp, Financial Times
“...Elza van den Heever, gives what is mind boggling in her debut as Giorgetta. Hers is a
performance of such emotional conviction and technical assurance that it’s hard to believe she
hasn’t been doing this for decades, yet with a freshness and originality that less houses might
only dream of. ”
Andreas Schubert, Klassik.com
“The South African sang a Giorgetta, which had everything one would wish for: a natural
timbre and focused tone which project easily above the orchestra. (Elza van den Heever)...a
name which one should note.”
Don Giovanni
San Francisco Opera
Michael Vaughn, The Opera Critic
“So when soprano Hope Briggs dropped out of SFO's recent Don Giovanni - in the most
amicable "artistic differences" divorce you are likely to see - the company just happened to
have Elza van den Heever, a member of the company's Adler Fellow program, who performed
the role last year in Napa Valley. The young fill-in took her chance and ran with it, portraying
Anna's overwhelming grief with a fine balance of emotions, and applying a superb use of
dynamic range to the always-heartbreaking final aria, "Non mi dir." The audience was
ecstatic.”
Cedric Westphal, SFist
“Elza van den Heever was a revelation last night. She had all the qualities of a major star:
range, power at the top, yet the required Mozartian agility in the more challenging parts. She
would reveal the high notes, clear and fully formed, hit them straight on the mark,
confidently, when so many singers get to a nearby approximate spot and slide to the right
tone. Her first few arias, a fight with Don Giovanni, and then the discovery of the death of her
father, were chillingly impressive, both in the musical accuracy and in the emotional
portrayal. This was as raw a Donna Anna as any, and she totally succeeded in captivating the
audience. There was not a naysayer after the performance. She will be huge (we hope we can
simply call her VDH then, that will make our life simpler.”
Chrissy Loader, SF Station
“Another rare occurrence, Hope Briggs, initially cast in the role of Donna Anna, was replaced
after the last dress rehearsal by van den Heever. No doubt this situation has presented a
challenge for van den Heever – she went without rehearsals with the cast, and with the
controversy comes a great deal of pressure and speculation (and probably some
embarrassment for both Hope Briggs and the San Francisco Opera). Nevertheless, van den
Heever shines; her voice is a clear, liquid soprano, and her performance is seamless. When
Don Ottavio (Charles Castronovo) pressures Donna Anna to marry him, and van den Heever
sings, “Non mi dir, bell’idol mio” (Tell me not), one can feel her emotion build, drawing the
audience in to Donna Anna’s grief and feelings of love for both her father and her fiancé.”
Michael Silverman, AP/The Washington Post
“…the replacement, Elza van den Heever, scored a huge success. She has a large, wellfocused voice that takes on an extra sheen in her upper register...she generally rose to the
demands of this taxing role extremely well and made one want to hear her in even heavier
repertoire.”
Schwabacher Debut Recital
Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle
“More often than not, singers who appear on the San Francisco Opera's Schwabacher Debut
Recital Series struggle to adjust the scale of their singing to the performance space. Even
moderately sized voices tend to resound, and it's a canny singer who can keep from blasting
an audience. One of the many thrills of Sunday's recital by the gifted young soprano Elza van
den Heever was the ease and assurance with which she handled this perennial problem.
Appearing in the Martin Meyer Sanctuary at Temple Emanu-El, van den Heever offered a
performance that was large and dramatic, but so well-modulated that intensity never spilled
over into excess….The program for Sunday's recital, accompanied with equal fervor by
pianist John Parr, was nothing if not ambitious – long, difficult, diverse and off the beaten
path. It ranged from the Baroque vehemence of Purcell to the luminous late Romanticism of
Berg's "Seven Early Songs," with stops along the way for 19th century songs by Brahms and a
gaggle of French composers, and concluded with William Walton's 1962 cycle "A Song for
the Lord Mayor's Table." To all this music, van den Heever brought a combination of physical
power and finely etched detail. Her sound is weighty but easily controlled, with a fullblooming upper range, while the low notes boast the throaty richness of the mezzo-soprano
that she used to be.”
Represented by Matthew Epstein, Columbia Artists Management
International press representation: Karen Ames (karen@karenames.com)
Revised: August 2012