A top international singer is on her way to Norfolk for a concert in the village she calls home.Elizabeth Watts will be appearing at Hethersett Methodist Church on October 4 in a concert for church funds.

A top international singer is on her way to Norfolk for a concert in the village she calls home.

Elizabeth Watts will be appearing at Hethersett Methodist Church on October 4 in a concert for church funds.

“Liz” grew up in Hethersett before gaining a first class honours degree in archaeology from Sheffield University prior to winning a scholarship to the Royal College of Music and taking up a career as one of this country's finest sopranos. Indeed her first on stage performance was in Stargazers at Hethersett Methodist Church.

In 2007 she represented England in the Cardiff International Singer of the Year competition, winning the prestigious song prize and receiving critical acclaim from an event that was widely covered by the BBC.

She has spent the last three months playing the role of Susanna in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro at Santa Fe in New Mexico.

“Santa Fe is the American equivalent of Glyndebourne opera in this country and it was a very exciting three months for me,” Liz said.

On September 10 she will be making her Proms debut when she sings the soprano part in Vaughan Williams' Sinfonia Antartica at the Royal Albert Hall. At the end of October her first CD featuring songs by Schubert will be released on the Sony label.

Liz said she is particularly looking forward to her concert in Hethersett which will feature well known songs and arias. “I am very excited about coming home to the village I love, and meeting up with the ones I love,” she said.

She is busy putting the finishing touches to her programme for the evening.

“We are extremely grateful that she is giving her time and talent so generously and taking time off from her hectic world wide schedule to sing in Hethersett,” said Methodist minister Rev Derek Grimshaw.

Tickets are on sale at £10 each including light refreshments and are available from Juliet Harwood on 01603 810237 or Anne Steward on 01603 811052.