Elza van den Heever returns to the MET as Empress in " Die Frau ohne Schatten"

Later this month, Elza van den Heever returns to The Metropolitan Opera to reprise her signature portrayal of the Empress in Richard Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten. She has previously sung the role at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, among other prestigious venues. Of her performance last season at the Vienna State Opera, Bachtrack praised her interpretation, writing: “As the Empress, Elza van den Heever had little difficulty with conveying the celestial being’s initial naïveté, subsequent bewilderment and, finally, wisdom, all with her clear, penetrating tone. Her voice’s evenness throughout the registers was a delight, while her outburst of Singspiel in Act 3 was thrilling and moving.”

Herbert Wernicke’s production of Die Frau ohne Schatten reimagines Strauss’s monumental opera with a bold, abstract visual style that accentuates its psychological and symbolic depths. Through reflective surfaces, stark lighting, and minimalist geometric designs, Wernicke creates a dreamlike world that illuminates the themes of transformation and redemption. Joining Ms. van den Heever in the star-studded cast are Russell Thomas as the Emperor, Michael Volle as Barak the Dyer, Lise Lindstrom as Barak’s Wife, Nina Stemme as the Nurse, and Ryan Speedo Green as the Messenger of Keikobad, under the baton of Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The performances are scheduled for November 29, December 4, 7, 10, 14 and 19.