Erica Eloff

 Reviews - Concert

Chichester Festival 2009 The Creation

"The South African soprano Erica Eloff, once again confirmed my opinion that here is a major talent waiting to be discovered... Miss Eloff coped admirably with the challenging vocal writing, always surmounting the hurdles penned by Haydn... Her velocitous upper register is quite thrilling to hear..."
Antony Lias - Opera Britannia


London Handel Festival 2009 Theodora

"... As Theodora, Miss Eloff establishes herself as a serious interpreter of the role. From the moment she started singing “Fond, flatt’ring world, adieu” the audience knew it was in for a special evening. The delicate fluttering trill on the final “adieu” was perfectly placed. No mere throwing together of two notes for Miss Eloff, instead complete control and execution of that most difficult of vocal exercises. When hearing from Septimus that she is to become on Valens's orders, a prostitute for refusing to embrace the Roman gods, “Oh worse than death indeed!” was declaimed with utter conviction. Throughout the whole evening Miss Eloff sought not just to sing sweetly, but to embrace us in the text of this powerful story. Her excellent diction helped immeasurably in allowing this to happen..."
Antony Lias - Opera Britannia

"Eloff was the winner of last year’s Handel Singing Competition... a real Handel soprano, light and flexible in style yet able to convey depth of emotion, and she created a genuinely noble Theodora, especially in ‘The pilgrim’s home, the sick man’s wealth’ and the final duet. The fact that she looks like a fashion model won’t do her any harm, either."
Melanie Eskenazi - Classical source

"... Eloff was quite a find, tall and attractive, she has a very striking stage presence. Technically her Theodora could not be faulted and she produces a rich but lyrical voice in an admirably focussed manner. Her Theodora was no under-dog but quite a strong personality, though still demure. Eloff had the ability to make Theodora's imprisonment and submission to fate both musical and interesting… Her submission to fate was anything but pale and uninteresting."
Robert Hugill - Music & vision


Handel Singing Competition 2008

"From the moment that Eloff, a native of South Africa, sang the first notes ... it was obvious that here was a serious voice, and a serious talent. Her voice filled the space with such ease, full tone, and pin-point technical accuracy that one felt immediately that the HSF had revealed a talent that would be hard to match in the succeeding 2 hours...  Tornami a vagheggiar from Alcina, a real barnstormer when sung with the kind of brilliance and confidence that Eloff displayed. An amazingly full-toned top F in the final repeat took many people by surprise – it was a diamond in the crown of a memorable performance and a wise choice of programme."
Sue Loder - MusicWeb International

"...from the moment she began her final recital at the start of this year's Handel Singing Competition, the South African soprano Erica Eloff looked and sounded the part. She won the Adair Prize ... plus a performance in the 2009 London Handel Festival - and I can't wait to hear her again..."
Hilary Finch - Times online


Wigmore Hall International Song Competition 2007

"Erica Eloff, making a lovely duo with fellow South African James Baillieu, ended with a very attractive little Afrikaans song (Roode’s Oktobermaand) - indeed the tune was so catchy that one of the jury members could be heard humming it, quite sub-consciously, in the ladies loos during the following interval."
Serena Fenwick - Musical Pointers