“Alexander Joel …brought the magnificent third act to the boil, fired by the super-charged singing of Elizabeth Llewellyn in the title-role. Llewellyn has been absent from the Coliseum for too long, but she returned in triumph, singing throughout with a full-throated ease that amply filled the auditorium and portraying the character with a vivid naïvety that even the production’s vacuity couldn’t blur.”

— The Telegraph

“…in Elizabeth Llewellyn we get a gorgeously-sung Luisa.”

— The Independent

“Elizabeth Llewellyn’s Luisa, richly and subtly voiced, still manages to exude passion and sincerity.”

—The Stage

“Luisa herself was sung with astonishing sensitivity and vocal range by the sublime Elizabeth Llewellyn. Look out for her entrance aria ‘Lo vidi, e’l primo palpito,’ it will give you palpitations aplenty.”

— London Theatre 1

“The line-up of singers on opening night was impressive. Six leads, and Elizabeth Llewellyn, who was singing Luisa, had the most demanding role of all. Act 1, she was the innocent daughter in love with a man she believed to be called Carlo. Act 2, she was blackmailed and abused. In Act 3, she is contemplating suicide. But all of this, especially the last two acts, was handled with aplomb and great intelligence by Llewellyn. She shone on this opening evening, her caressing soprano voice was particularly effective in scenes with her father.”

— ArtMuse London

“British soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn returns to the company after far too long a gap in the title role. If Act 1’s bel canto Luisa is a bit of a squeeze for this generous voice, she comes into her own in the later acts, where soubrettish agility gives way to demanding, sustained vocal drama. We get a gorgeous Act III prayer, but best of all a final scene where concept finally falls away…”

— Broadway World

“If Elizabeth Llewellyn has done anything better than this Luisa, then I regret not being there. Llewellyn’s singing had secure coloratura, fearless top notes, as well as much vocal elan and her acting had both energy and passion. However well she started, she finished even more strongly with a heart-wrenching Act III ‘La tomba e un letto’ and the poignancy of her closing duets with Miller and Rodolfo.”

— Seen & Heard International

“…Elizabeth Llewellyn’s rich, robust presence in the title role. Her range is enormous, with a deep, full chest voice to complement her convincing coloratura passages.”

— Arts Journal

“The lovely Elizabeth Llewellyn comes into her own in the pathos of Luisa’s final scenes”

— Financial Times

“Above all this, Elizabeth Llewellyn’s silvery, supple soprano brings out all Luisa’s goodness and pain, …it soars where it counts.”

— The Guardian

“Elizabeth Llewellyn had a fine evening as Luisa….she has plenty of power up top and managed the perky birthday girl’s coloratura nicely and her lyric soprano soared beautifully in duets. [Sigurdarson] and Llewellyn sang their moving Act 3 duet with tenderness, the emotional high point of the evening.”

— Bachtrack

“The score’s move from pastoral to melodrama and finally to poetic pathos is embodied in its heroine: a vocal problem, since she must embrace the light and girlish at the start of the first act, the dramatic when faced with evil machinations in the second, and an other-worldly resolution in the third. Immensely sympathetic Elizabeth Llewellyn pulled off the early coloratura… and came fully into her own for the masterly final duets.”

— The Arts Desk

“Elizabeth Llewellyn was outstanding as Luisa, a young woman who has to grow up quickly and face the real world. She had the flexibility to sing Luisa’s often elaborate vocal writing whilst being able to draw out a strong, shapely vocal line. She also conveyed Luisa’s psychological journey with great intensity, Llewellyn is a singer who is able to convey much with face and with eyes, this was an intense and gripping experience.”

— Opera Today

“Llewellyn’s descent from giddy, loved-up birthday girl to sacrificial victim of male abuse is both musically and visually powerful, her strong honest soprano rising over the mass of conflicting voices, and her passion and gift for communication that of a soul singer.”

— Culture Whisper

“[Alexander Joel] is aided by some outstanding singing: Elizabeth Llewellyn brings a warm, generous tone and touching empathy to the title role… But in Horakova’s production the drama is unfolded…with visceral power, not least in Luisa’s two magnificent Act 3 duets (the first with her father, the second with Rodolfo).”

— The Evening Standard

“Elizabeth Llewellyn brought her usual sympathetic understanding to the character of Luisa and her mellow voice was a fine contrast to the men around her.”

— The Article

“Elizabeth Llewellyn is a fabulous singer, secure and lyrical throughout.”

— Reviews Gate

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