Biography

Elza van den Heever (Ellen Orford) makes three major role debuts in the 2013–14 season: her U.K. debut as Ellen Orford in Britten’s Peter Grimes at English National Opera; Giselda in Verdi’s I Lombardi at Hamburg State Opera; and the title role of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena at Opéra National de Bordeaux. Her season also includes performances of the role of Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Bavarian State Opera and La Duchesse Hélène in Verdi’s Les vêpres siciliennes at Oper Frankfurt. The South African soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut as Elisabetta in Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda was broadcast worldwide as part of the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD series. Other recent role debuts include Armida in Handel’s Rinaldo with Lyric Opera of Chicago and the title role in Handel’s Alcina with Opéra National de Bordeaux. One of triplets, Ms. van den Heever was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa and received her musical training at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She participated in both the Merola Opera Program and San Francisco Opera’s Adler Fellowship program. Winner of the 2008 Seattle Opera International Wagner Competition, she continues to study with Sheri Greenawald. Elza van den Heever made her San Francisco Symphony debut in 2005 and became a Shenson Young Artist in 2010. She can be heard on the Symphony’s Grammy award-winning recording of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony with Michael Tilson Thomas on SFS Media. Ms. van den Heever makes her home in Bordeaux, France.

(June 2014)