Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir, an award-winning soprano and visual artist from Iceland, was honored as the Singer of the Year in the Classical and Contemporary Music category at the 2021 Icelandic Music Awards. Her innovative approach and versatility have established her as a sought-after collaborator among composers and fellow performers. Over the past five years, Álfheiður has performed diverse roles at prestigious opera houses, including Staatsoper Berlin, Theater Basel, and Theater Dortmund, and has been an ensemble member of Theater Basel since 2021.
As a 2025/26 Rising Star of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), Álfheiður will be offering audiences a deeply immersive experiences that transcend the boundaries of traditional recital formats with pianist Kunal Lahiry through major halls such as the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and Philharmonie de Paris. The tour includes the world premiere of María Huld Markan’s composition, commissioned by ECHO for the occasion.
Other highlights include her performing Mahler Symphony no.8 with Iceland Symphony under Eva Ollikainen and singing the title role “Alice” in UnSuk Chin’s opera in Vienna this season.
In 2023, the album "Poems," co-produced and conceived with composer Viktor Orri Árnason, was released by Deutsche Grammophon. This was followed by the premiere of the documentary "Poems: A Journey Through Icelandic Poetry" in 2024. Álfheiður has a keen eye for visual storytelling. With her passion for photography and videography, she captures the essence of her musical journey, creating visuals that complement her performances.
“Guðmundsdóttir is a bright, agile, and theatrically present Drusilla, who captivates her ex-lover Ottone with all the rules of the art of singing.”
“The energetic soprano Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir embodies a noticeable and beautifully theatrical Drusilla.”
“She is an angel, she got the music from Messiaen and the voice from nature. The blue-silvery floating, weightless slim voice of the Icelandic soprano Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir will remind you again and again, that with this music nothing less than a connection to heaven should be created.”