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 O...