REVIEWS

PRINCE ORLOFSKY

DIE FLEDERMAUS: (Johann Strauss II) with Martina Arroyo Prelude to Performance.

Reviewed by: Meche Kroop for vocedimechereviews.com: July 2019.

“Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Harris made an excellent Prince Orlofsky, emphasizing his bizarre personality and his ennui. Her arias were marvelously delivered. We always love "Chac'un a son goût" and the "Champagne song" in which the excellent chorus joins in. We could scarcely believe Ms. Harris' versatility, having reviewed her in several roles at Manhattan School of Music. What a contrast between Orlofsky and the cold-hearted Aunt Hannah in Tobias Picker's Emmeline!”

Reviewed by: Nino Pantano for brooklyndiscovery.com: July 2019.

“Prince Orlofsky, the androgynous host of the party, was superbly brought to vivid life by Elizabeth Harris. With her red topped military outfit and clump of hair, she looked like a combination of Harpo Marx and the chief soccer player currently in Sports Illustrated, Megin Rapinoe. Ms. Harris’s “Chacun à son goût” aria was marvelous and her “King Champagne” aria was exciting with her strong mezzo and the percussion collaborating and her eyes fixed on Adele.”

AUNT HANNAH

EMMELINE: (Tobais Picker) at the Manhattan School of Music.

Reviewed by: Joanne Sydney Lessner in Opera News: July 2019.

“Representing two sides of the Bible-thumping coin, Elisabeth Harris’s Aunt Hannah was all officiousness, misplaced family loyalty and puritan fire and brimstone.”

ALTO SOLOIST

MESSIAH: (Handel) with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Palmerston North.

Reviewed by: Rodney Macann in Opera News 2019.

“I don’t remember the alto / mezzo solos with their tricky tessitura (too low for many) being better sung. Her voice was beautifully projected, dramatically exciting with, like the others great coloratura. It was worth travelling to Palmerston North just to hear her in such great form - long may it continue.”

ALTO SOLOIST

MESSIAH: (Handel) with Auckland Choral and Pipers Sinfonia.

Reviewed by: William Dart in New Zealand Herald: 22nd December 2017.

“...Elisabeth Harris revealed the advantages of a rich contralto tone for unlocking the powerful emotions of "He was despised", with minimal ornamentation…”

CHERUBINO

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO: (Mozart) with the Eternity Opera Company.

Reviewed by: Peter Mechen for Middle C: 5th August 2017.

“...As the amorous page-boy, Cherubino, Elisabeth Harris, I thought, completely “owned” her character, taking risks, both dramatically and vocally, in pursuit of love, and triumphing with a flesh-and-blood realisation that, to my way of thinking, won everybody’s heart. She captured that testosterone-laden “out-of-control” feeling almost to perfection, while credibly maintaining both theatrical and musical viability – I can’t recall seeing a Cherubino on stage more whole-hearted and lovable. She (he) was nicely-partnered by Shanya Tweed’s truly, and brightly-sung Barbarina, her “lost pin” aria touchingly voiced, and her overall character generating something of a matching physical and emotional impulsiveness to that of “the page”, able at the end to put the love-struck boy in his (her) place…”

ALTO SOLOIST

MOZART REQUIEM: with The Palmerston North Choral Society.

Reviewed by: Nick Dow for the Guardian: 6th July 2017.

“...Mezzo-soprano Elisabeth Harris stood out as particularly confident and assured…”

ALTO SOLOIST

SCHUMANN REQUIEM AND BRAHMS LIEBESLIEDER WALTZES: with The Kapiti Chamber Choir.

Reviewed by: Rosemary Collier for Middle C: 9th July 2017.

“...Liber Scriptus’ began with the choir, then the soloists entered one by one. Here, their voices really shone; a very fine performance from all four.  ‘Qui Mariam’ Featured excellent singing from the choir, and particularly from soloist Elisabeth Harris…”

MEZZO SOPRANO SOLOIST

OUTSTANDING YOUNG MUSICIANS RECITAL: Presented by Concerts for Christchurch Foundation Trust.

Reviewed by: Patrick Shepherd in the Christchurch Mail: 20th October 2016.

“...I remember hearing mezzo soprano Elisabeth Harris in 2013 when she was preparing to head off to Wellington to study and here we are, 3 years later, listening to this wonderful young singer as she prepares to go to New York next year to continue her postgraduate studies. I was impressed by her back then and that has only grown with time and, although it is a well-worn cliche, she really does light up the stage...In all her songs Harris was engaging and animated, bringing something of the operatic role or textual story to her interpretation. The choices of repertoire were interesting as, for the most part, they were not the tried-and-true but ventured comfortably further afield. Harris’ voice is tremendously rich right across her substantial range; it is as good and strong down low as it is up top and she moves between the two with consummate ease. The three operatic offerings by Bizet, Saint-Saëns and Gounod all shone, Bizet’s (L’amour est un oiseau rebelle) for its coquettish brilliance, Saint-Saëns’ Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse! for its declaratory power and Gounod’s O ma lyre immortelle for the intensity of expression and knock-out final note. In her stage presence she is totally present and exudes energy…”