“Mama I made it!”—Pretty Yende gushed about her role as Queen Mary in Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda opera, an incredible achievement for the South African songbird:
Naples, Italy (21 June 2024) — Pretty Yende might be no stranger to achievements, but that hardly means she doesn’t still beam with joy and appreciation for how far her journey has taken her each time she rises to new heights as a songbird. Her recent feat? Debuting as Queen Mary in Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda!
For Pretty, this was a “Mama I made it” moment, and one that made her reflect on her life as a child on the “dusty streets of Driefontein” to the glittering stage in Naples where she’ll perform as Queen Mary.
Opening up about how much reaching her “crazy ‘impossible dreams and goals” means to her (particularly after a very hard year) in tandem with a picture of her younger self, Pretty said:
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“Those who know…know how much this means on the [Pretty Journey]. I’ve probably had the most challenging dream of my life, so to still be able to keep the smile not only on my face but from my heart has not been the easiest, I can’t thank enough the tremendous support I’ve been gifted by those very close to me and not so close, each step of the way….if [younger me] gave up…Today would be IMPOSSIBLE.”
“I AM POSSIBLE…I AM THE DREAM-COME-TRUE,” she added, and rightfully so.
Last year, Pretty wowed the world at King Charles III’s coronation ceremony and then went on to receive a Global Badge of Honour as a Goodwill Ambassador. Now, she’ll fill audiences’ ears with her gift of song in the famed Opera as Queen Mary. This leaves us to wonder—is there anything Pretty can’t do?
Sources: Pretty Yende
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