Pretty Yende chose to record Juliette's aria "Ah! Je veux vivre" from Gounod's Roméo et Juliette in the higher key of G, as it brings out different colors and expresses lightness and sunshine.
Performer Biography
Pretty Yende was the first artist to win the top prize in every category at the prestigious Belvedere Competition in 2009.
Performer Biography
Pretty Yende gained international recognition in 2013 by stepping in at the last minute to star opposite Juan Diego Flórez in Rossini's bel canto showpiece Le Comte Ory at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Performer Biography
Pretty Yende decided to become an opera singer after hearing an extract from the Flower Duet in Delibes's opera Lakmé in a British Airways TV advert.
Interpretation
For the 'mad scene' from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Pretty Yende collaborated with conductor Kamal Khan to create a new cadenza suited to the character and her voice, focusing on respect for the role rather than showing off.
Recording & Production
Pretty Yende's first album, A Journey, won the 2017 International Opera Award for Best Solo Recital Recording and the 2017 ECHO Klassik Newcomer Award.
Performer Biography
Pretty Yende, the soprano on this album, was born of Zulu heritage in Piet Retief, South Africa, and did not discover opera until she was sixteen.
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The Pretty Yende Coronation & Opera Classics Collection
