Elza van den Heever Wins Wagner Contest

South African Soprano Scoops Wagner Prize Elza van den Heever delights audience and judges but Orchestra favours Nadine Weissman. August 16 The Annual International Wagner competition took place at Seattle Opera and the expected titanic battle between Europe and the USA, a kind of Operatic Ryder Cup, was shattered when delightful South African soprano Elza van den Heever claimed the judges and audience accolades after performing “Dich, teure Halle” from Tannhäuser and “Einsame in trüben Tagen” from Lohengrin. Germany’s mezzo-soprano Nadine Weissmann was voted Orchestra Favourite. She sang "Weiche, Wotan, Weiche" (Das Rheingold) and Waltraute's Narrative (Götterdämmerung). Wagner in Seattle Full Report