BY Nkosazana Ngwadla
Her voice has been dubbed a voice that can reach the stars by the Washington Post, and it seems South African operatic soprano Pretty Yende is aiming even higher.
In October 2022, Pretty was awarded a Ceremonial Badge of Honour for her contribution to the arts and letters in France and worldwide after just 12 years of making her professional operatic debut at the Latvian National Theatre in Riga, Latvia, as Micaela in Carmen in 2010. From the small town of Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, to the world!
Pretty was bestowed an Order of Arts and Letters award by France’s Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak.
“The Order of Arts and Letters, established in 1957 by the French Minister of Culture, rewards those who, through their ongoing engagement and creativity, have helped develop the arts and literature in France and throughout the world,” according to the Medailles Officielles website.
“I feel extremely honoured and humbled by such a prestigious Decoration,” Pretty wrote as she shared a video of the moment on Twitter.
Other prestigious awards include an award from the South African government ‘The Order of Ikhamanga in Silver’ for her excellent achievement and international acclaim in the field of world of opera and for serving as a role model to aspiring young musicians.
And more recently being a recipient of the Italian Knighthood, Ordine Stella d’Italia for her work in building extraordinary relations between Italy and other countries, making her the youngest South African ever awarded this accolade.
The sky is definitely not the limit for Pretty, and we can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
