Pretty Yende

Born in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga,{{cite news| title=Glück einer Handlungsreisenden| date=April 2024| first=Florian| last=Balke| newspaper=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung|language=de }} she grew up with two brothers and a sister; the family, also with the grandparents, sang often. Yende was inspired to learn opera at age 16 after seeing a British Airways TV advertisement that featured the Flower Duet from Lakmé.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/02/arts/music/little-time-to-prepare-now-a-legacy-to-keep.html | title=Little Time to Prepare; Now a Legacy to Keep |work=The New York Times| author=Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim | date=2013-02-01 | access-date=2016-10-17}} She subsequently enrolled at the South African College of Music, where her teachers included Virginia Davids, and from which she graduated cum laude. She also graduated from the Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. Her younger sister {{ill|Nombulelo Yende|de|lt=Nombulelo}} also became an opera singer.{{cite news |title=Nombulelo Yende gives opera concert in Sandton |url=https://www.artlink.co.za/news_article.htm?contentID=43466 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715182100/https://www.artlink.co.za/news_article.htm?contentID=43466 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 July 2021 |website=Artslink.co.za |date=16 March 2018}}

Yende won two prizes in the 2008 International Vocal Competition 's-Hertogenbosch: the Prize of the Province of North Brabant, and the Engagement Opera Riga, which gave her the opportunity to take part in the new year concert at the Latvian National Opera in December.{{cite news |url=https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2008-10-16-yendes-star-rises-high |title=Yende's star rises high |date=2008-10-16 |first=Chris |last=Mcevoy |work=UCT News}} She won first prize in operetta and opera at the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition 2009 in Vienna.{{cite web| url=http://www.belvedere-competition.com/winners/| title=Winners Opera & Special Prizes| website=Belvedere Competition}} In 2010, Yende won prizes at three competitions: first prize at the Vincenzo Bellini International Competition,{{cite web |url=https://www.bellinibelcanto-internationalcompetition.com/jurys-et-candidats |title=Concours Bellini – Promotion 2010 |access-date=14 July 2019 |language=fr |website=Concours International de Belcanto Vincenzo Bellini}} first prize at the International Singing Competition of Savonlinna Opera Festival (shared),{{Cite news|date=2010-07-26|title=Oopperalaulukilpailu onnistui hyvin|language=fi|work=Yle|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-5602611}} and sixth prize at the Leyla Gencer Voice Competition.{{cite web |url=http://www.leylagencer.org/en/2010/winners |title=6th Leyla Gencer Voice Competition |website=Leyle Gencer Voice Competition}} In 2011, she won first prize at Operalia, held that year in Moscow.{{cite web| url=http://www.operaliacompetition.org/winners| title=List of Winners| website=Operalia Competition}} Her younger sister Nombulelo won the CulturArte Prize at Operalia in 2023 in Cape Town.{{cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/arts/nombulelo-yende-follows-in-sisters-footsteps-claiming-award-at-international-opera-competition-20231107|access-date=15 August 2024|title=Nombulelo Yende follows in sister's footsteps claiming award at international opera competition|author=Joel Ontong|date=7 November 2023|work=News24|location=South Africa}}

During her time at the studio of La Scala in Milan, Yende performed roles by Rossini, Berenice in L'occasione fa il ladro in 2010 and Elvira in L'italiana in Algeri in 2011.{{cite web |date=2010-09-17 |url=https://www.bitculturali.it/2010/09/novita/15066/ |website=Bit Culturali |title=Per il Progetto Accademia 2010 in scena alla Scala "L'occasione fa il ladro" di Rossini}}{{cite news |url=https://www.gbopera.it/2011/07/milano-teatro-alla-scala-litaliana-in-algeri/ |title=Milano, Teatro alla Scala: L'italiana in Algeri|date=2011-07-12 |work=GBOpera}} She appeared in four roles the following season, the Priestess in Verdi's Aida, Barbarina in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale and Musetta in Puccini's La bohème.{{cite web|url=http://www.teatroallascala.org/en/season/opera-ballet/2011-2012/boheme.html|title=La bohème – Teatro alla Scala|publisher=La Scala|access-date=22 February 2013|archive-date=7 March 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307055812/http://www.teatroallascala.org/en/season/opera-ballet/2011-2012/boheme.html}}

Yende appeared in the closing concert of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on 9 July 2010, two days before the final, alongside Bryan Adams and Andrea Bocelli.{{Cite news|last=CBC Arts|date=2010-04-29|title=Bryan Adams tapped for closing World Cup gig|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/bryan-adams-tapped-for-closing-world-cup-gig-1.963217}} She was featured in Bocelli's Live in Central Park concert on 15 September 2011,{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/17/arts/music/andrea-bocelli-philharmonic-and-friends-in-central-park.html |title=Andrea Bocelli, Philharmonic and Friends in Central Park |date=2011-09-16|newspaper=The New York Times|first=Anthony |last=Tommasini|author-link=Anthony Tommasini}} which was aired on PBS's Great Performances and released as Concerto: One Night in Central Park.{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/andrea-bocelli-live-in-central-park-about-the-concert/1213/ |title=Andrea Bocelli: Live in Central Park |date=30 November 2011 |access-date=2021-03-06 |publisher=PBS}} They united again in the concert entitled Amore e perdono held by the Fetzer Institute at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on 22 September 2012, which was aired on Rai 1 on 29 September 2012.{{cite news |url=https://www.ilsitodiperugia.it/content/933-amore-e-perdono-ad-assisi-il-meeting-internazionale-del-fetzer-institute?page=7 |title=Amore e perdono: ad Assisi il meeting internazionale del Fetzer Institute |date=2012-09-19 |website=Il sito di Perugia|language=it}}

Yende made her Metropolitan Opera (Met) debut in New York City on 17 January 2013, in the role of Adèle in Rossini's Le comte Ory, stepping in for Nino Machaidze;{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/19/arts/music/le-comte-ory-with-pretty-yende-at-the-metropolitan-opera.html | title=Wily Suitors and the Challenges of Chastity|newspaper=The New York Times| author=Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim | date=2013-01-18 | access-date=2016-10-17}} she performed alongside tenor Juan Diego Florez in the title role She subsequently stepped in for Cecilia Bartoli in the same role at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna.{{cite news |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/1360681399518/le-comte-ory-pretty-yende-springt-fuer-cecilia-bartoli-ein |title=Le Comte Ory: Pretty Yende springt für Cecilia Bartoli ein|language=de|date=2013-02-13|newspaper=Der Standard|location=Vienna}} In July 2014, she returned to La Scala for Le comte Ory, alternating as Adèle with Aleksandra Kurzak.{{Cite news|date=2014-07-11|title=High notes at La Scala|work=Independent Online|location=Cape Town|url=https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/arts-portal/high-notes-at-la-scala-1718318}} Later that year she returned to the Met as Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, singing between performances at the Richard Tucker Gala and at Carnegie Hall for a solo recital.{{Cite news|last=MacBlane|first=Amanda|date=2014-10-10|title=Soprano Pretty Yende's New York Story Began in Rural South Africa|publisher=WQXR|url=https://www.wqxr.org/story/pretty-yende/}} In 2015 she portrayed Susanna in Mozart's Figaro at the Los Angeles Opera.{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2015/03/20/393879727/pretty-yende-an-opera-star-whose-rise-began-with-a-fall|title=Pretty Yende: An Opera Star Whose Rise Began with a Fall|date=20 March 2015|work=NPR News}} In 2016 she appeared as Rosina in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia and the title role of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor at the Paris Opera.{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/09/08/492855308/first-listen-pretty-yende-a-journey|title=Review: Pretty Yende, 'A Journey'|work=NPR News|author=Tom Huizenga|date=8 September 2016}} In 2018, she portrayed Adina in Bartlett Sher's production of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore at the Met.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/17/arts/music/lelisir-damore-met-opera-review.html| title=Review: A Donizetti Revival at the Met Hints at More to Come| date=17 January 2018| first=James R.| last=Oestreich| author-link=James R. Oestreich|newspaper=The New York Times}}

Yende is credited as a primary artist for the "Ode À L'Humanité" (Ode to Humanity, previously called Aria) track on the Yanni/Plácido Domingo collaboration Inspirato (2014).{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0002824112|title=Pretty Yende|tab=credits}}

In 2023 Yende performed at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla. She sang "Sacred Fire", a piece written by Sarah Class to a text by Grahame Davies for the coronation.{{Cite news|date=2023-05-06|title=Opera singer Yende 'too excited to be nervous' at king's coronation|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/opera-singer-yende-too-excited-be-nervous-kings-coronation-2023-05-05/|access-date=2023-05-06}} In 2024 she appeared first at the Oper Frankfurt, as Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare, alongside Lawrence Zazzo in the title role.

Yende accused French border police of police brutality and racial discrimination. She detailed on social media her experience of being treated like a criminal at Charles de Gaulle Airport on 21 June 2021 while arriving for her fourth La sonnambula performance at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. She said she was strip searched and held in a dark room with all her belongings taken.{{Cite news|last=Hernández|first=Javier C.|date=2021-06-23|title=South African Opera Star Says She Was Mistreated by French Police|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/23/arts/music/pretty-yende-opera-police.html|access-date=2021-06-28}} The French National Police disputed that on the grounds that she had a South African passport without a visa to enter. She did present her residence permit issued in Milan, with which she had always travelled throughout Europe,{{Cite news|date=2021-06-22|title=Pretty Yende, pomeriggio da incubo all'aeroporto di Parigi : 'Maltrattata per motivi razziali in Francia'|work=la Repubblica|language=it|url=https://www.repubblica.it/spettacoli/musica/2021/06/22/news/pretty_yende-307222810/|access-date=2021-06-24}} yet they said she needed a separate one-time visa, while Yende and her lawyer claimed she had all the documents required. They also denied having ordered her to undress but a pat-down by a female officer in accordance to standard procedure, and she left around 6 pm with a regular visa.{{Cite magazine|date=2021-06-22|title=La soprano Pretty Yende dénonce des violences policières françaises|magazine=Le Point|language=fr|url=https://www.lepoint.fr/societe/la-soprano-pretty-yende-denonce-des-violences-policieres-francaises-22-06-2021-2432281_23.php|access-date=2021-06-24}}{{Cite news|date=2021-06-23|title=Opera singer says Paris police detained, strip searched her|work=ABC News|location=US|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/opera-singer-paris-police-detained-strip-searched-78426511|access-date=2021-06-24}}

The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, aware of the incident, demanded explanation and investigation from the French authorities through the South African embassy in Paris. It also voiced their intention to démarche the French ambassador to South Africa, based in Pretoria, to convey its displeasure.{{Cite press release|title=South Africa contacts French authorities following the ill treatment of opera star Pretty Yende|url=http://www.dirco.gov.za/docs/2021/fran0624.htm|date=2021-06-24|publisher=Department of International Relations and Cooperation|location=South Africa}}

Yende was awarded Siola d'oro in 2011.{{cite news |url=http://www.comune.cesena.fc.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/12177 |title=Jessica Pratt vince la XV edizione del premio Pagliughi |date=2013-05-02 |publisher=Comune di Cesena |language=it |access-date=2021-03-14}}

She won an Arca d'oro Italia Young Talents Award in 2012,{{cite news |url=https://www.giornaledellamusica.it/news/larca-doro-chailly |title=L'Arca d'oro a Chailly |date=31 October 2012 |language=it |first=Susanna |last=Franchi |work=Il Giornale della Musica}} and performed a recital in Turin on 30 March 2013 owing to the award.{{cite news |url=https://torino.repubblica.it/cronaca/2013/03/30/news/pretty_yende_sven_vth_sikitikis_hip_hop_hma_la_pasqua_dei_piccoli_tango_torino_festival-55624439/ |title=Sven Väth "Re della Savana" allo Chalet; Pretty Yende alla scuola d'Applicazione |date=30 March 2013 |language=it |first=Gabriella |last=Crema |work=la Repubblica}}

She was conferred the Silver Order of Ikhamanga on 27 April 2013. In a statement by the chairperson of the National Orders Advisory Council, Dr. Cassius Lubisi, Yende was conferred the honour "for her excellent achievement and international acclaim in the field of world opera and serving as a role model to aspiring young musicians."{{Cite news|url=https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/national-orders-be-bestowed-deserving-recipients |title=National Orders to be bestowed on deserving recipients |date=22 April 2013 |publisher=South African Government News Agency}}{{cite press release |url=https://www.polity.org.za/article/sa-statement-by-cassius-lubisi-chancellor-of-the-national-orders-announces-the-names-of-south-africans-and-foreign-nationals-who-will-be-awarded-national-orders-22042013-2013-04-22 |title=SA: Statement by Cassius Lubisi, Chancellor of the National Orders... |date=22 April 2013 |publisher=National Orders Advisory Council |via=Polity.org.za}}

She was one of the winners of the 2013 Women of the Year Awards by Glamour South Africa.{{cite news |url=http://48hours.co.za/2013/07/25/living-loud-with-liezel-glamour-women-of-the-year-awards/ |title=Living loud with Liezel: Glamour Women of the Year Awards |date=2013-07-25 |work=48hours.co.za |first=Liezel |last=van der Westhuizen}}

In September 2013 she received an Mbokodo Award in the category of opera.{{cite news |url=https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/427/99462.html |title=Mbokodo Awards winners announced |date=2 September 2013 |website=Bizcommunity.com }}

Yende won the Best Recording Solo Recital Award for her album A Journey in the 2017 International Opera Awards,{{cite news |url=https://operawire.com/opera-awards-2017-winners-lawrence-brownlee-and-anna-netrebko-win-top-awards/ |title=Opera Awards 2017 Winners: Lawrence Brownlee and Anna Netrebko Win Top Awards |date=7 May 2017 |work=OperaWire |first=Francisco |last=Salazar}} and was awarded the International Achiever Award in the 23rd South African Music Awards.{{cite news |url=https://www.thegremlin.co.za/2017/05/15/sama-23-honours-international-achiever/ |title=SAMA 23 honours international achiever |date=15 May 2017 |work=The Gremlin }} She won a Readers' Award in the 2018 International Opera Awards,{{cite news |url=https://www.rhinegold.co.uk/opera_now/international-opera-awards-reveals-winners/ |title=International Opera Awards reveals winners |date=10 April 2018 |publisher=Rhinegold Publishing |first=Claire |last=Jackson}} and the Cologne Opera Award (Kölner Opernpreis), received during the city's Floraball.{{cite news |url=https://www.rundschau-online.de/region/koeln/tanzen-wie-im-19--jahrhundert-am-samstag-findet-der-flora-ball-statt-30573344 |title=Tanzen wie im 19. Jahrhundert Am Samstag findet der Flora-Ball statt |newspaper=Kölnische Rundschau|date=2018-06-06 |author=Pauline Faust}}

In 2019, she was invested a Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy.{{cite news |url=https://www.enca.com/life/sa-opera-star-pretty-yende-awarded-italian-knighthood |title=SA opera star Pretty Yende awarded Italian knighthood |date=2019-12-12 |work=eNCA}}

Yende signed a long-term recording contract with Sony Classical in October 2015.{{cite journal | url=http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2016/1/Departments/Noteworthy___Now.html | last=Mazzaro | first=Maria | title=Noteworthy & Now | journal=Opera News | volume=80 | issue=7 | date=January 2016 | access-date=2016-10-17}} Her first recording under this Sony contract was "A Journey".{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/sep/29/pretty-yende-journey-cd-review-south-african-classical-singing | title=Pretty Yende: A Journey CD review – fearless singing by new-wave South African | author=Erica Jeal |work=The Guardian| date=2016-09-29 | access-date=2016-10-17}}

• 2016: A Journey; Marco Armiliato conducting RAI National Symphony Orchestra (Sony)
• 2017: Dreams; Giacomo Sagripanti conducting Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi (Sony)

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Berenice, L'occasione fa il ladro (Rossini)
• Elvira, L'italiana in Algeri (Rossini)
• Priestess, Aida (Verdi)
• Barbarina, The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart)
• Norina, Don Pasquale (Donizetti)
• Musetta, La bohème (Puccini)
• Comtesse Adèle, Le comte Ory (Rossini)
• Lucia, Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti)
• Micaëla, Carmen (Bizet)
• Juliette, Roméo et Juliette (Gounod)
• Fiorilla, Il turco in Italia (Rossini)
• Pamina, The Magic Flute (Mozart)
• Rosina, The Barber of Seville (Rossini)
• Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart)
• Adina, L'elisir d'amore (Donizetti)
• Elvira, I puritani (Bellini)
• Amira, Ciro in Babilonia (Rossini)
• Marie, La fille du régiment (Donizetti)
• Zoraide, Ricciardo e Zoraide (Rossini)
• Leïla, Les pêcheurs de perles (Bizet)
• Amina, La sonnambula (Bellini)
• Violetta, La traviata (Verdi)
• Manon, Manon (Massenet)
• Stella\Olympia\Antonia\Giulietta, The Tales of Hoffmann (Offenbach){{div col end}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official|http://www.prettyyende.com/}}
• [https://www.sonymusicmasterworks.com/artist/pretty-yende/ Pretty Yende] on Sony Masterworks
• [https://www.medici.tv/en/artists/pretty-yende/ Pretty Yende] at Medici.tv
• [http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/Take_5_%E2%80%94_Pretty_Yende.html "Take 5 – Pretty Yende"], Opera News, December 2014

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Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:Zulu people

Category:People from Mkhondo Local Municipality

Category:South African operatic sopranos

Category:South African College of Music alumni

Category:Sony Classical Records artists

Category:Operalia, The World Opera Competition prize-winners

Category:Recipients of the Order of Ikhamanga

Category:21st-century South African women opera singers