(Credit: Kim Fox)

Pretty Yende has received the Italian knighthood.

The South African soprano received the Ordine Stella d’Italia (OSI), by the Italian Consul in Cape Town Emanuele Pollio on Dec. 10, 2019.

In his speech Pollio called Yende both a daughter of South Africa and of Italy and said she “was an extraordinary ambassador of the Italian culture in South Africa.”

At the age of 34, she will become the youngest South African ever awarded this prestigious decoration.

Yende shared the news on social media noting, “Being a recipient of ‘The Order/knight of the Star of Italy’ deeply humbles and fills me with immense gratitude for such and extraordinary decoration.”

Yende next makes her role debut as “Manon” and Paris and also makes her Dallas Opera debut in “Il Barbiere di Sivglia.”