Sophie was sung by a young soprano whose career looks to follow a similarly stellar trajectory. Louise Alder’s sparkling soprano has great poise and assurance and her warm reception was richly deserved. THE GUARDIAN, Rian Evans, June 2017

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Louise Alder’s Sophie sparkles from the start, in touchingly exaggerated spontaneity at the thought of marriage to never mind who, then vibrant emotion at the real possibility of Octavian. Her singing, effortlessly lyrical, would surely have sent the composer into raptures. THE ARTS DESK, Stephen Walsh, June 2017

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British singers Louise Alder and Rebecca Evans both excelled as the loves in Octavian's life, representing the vernal and the autumnal respectively. Alder, recently crowned young singer of the year at the International Opera Awards, was a dream of a Sophie: a gawky, impressionable girl at first, then ever more gracious as her confidence grew. 

WHAT'S ON STAGE, Mark Valencia, June 2017

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For Louise Alder, named last month as best young singer in the 2017 International Opera awards, the role of Sophie was a gift. In addition to spirited, pristine singing, Alder made the part far more febrile and clever than usual, moving with enough restless energy to use up a week’s calories in an hour.

THE GUARDIAN, Fiona Maddocks, June 2017