South African opera singer Pretty Yende was born in Piet Retief on March 6, 1985. She studied singing at the University of Cape Town and then at the Accademia della Scala in Milan. After winning several competitions, her international reputation grew on the opera stage in Porgy and Bess (Gershwin) and bel canto (Rossini, Donizetti). In 2011, she won first prize in the International Singing Competition organized by Operalia, as well as the Siola d'oro ("Golden Swallow"), in Gatteo, Italy. Two years later, on January 17 2013, Pretty Yende made her debut at New York's Metropolitan Opera in Rossini's Le Comte Ory, followed by a debut recital at London's Wigmore Hall. In 2014, she took over New York's Carnegie Hall and Washington's Kennedy Center for recitals. 2016 saw her sing in Rossini's The Barber of Seville at the Opéra Bastille in Paris. It also saw the release of her first recording, A Journey, conducted by Marco Armiliato. It features bel canto arias by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Delibes and Gounod.
