Pretty Yende Replaces Nino Machaidze in the Metropolitan Opera's LE COMTE ORY

Pretty Yende will make her Met debut as Countess Adèle in this season's performances of Rossini's Le Comte Ory, replacing Nino Machaidze, who is ill.

South African soprano Yende won First Prize in the female division of the Operalia competition in 2011. She performs frequently at La Scala, where her roles in recent seasons have included Berenice in Rossini's L'Occasione fa il Ladro and Elvira in his L'Italiana in Algeri; the Priestess in Verdi's Aida; Barbarina in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro; Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale; and Musetta in Puccini's La Bohème.

Le Comte Ory opens January 17 and will also be performed January 21, 25, 29, February 2 matinee, and February 5. Maurizio Benini conducts a cast that also includes Juan Diego Flórez in the title role, Karine Deshayes as Isolier, Susanne Resmark as Ragonde, Nathan Gunn as Raimbaud, and Nicola Uliveri in his Met debut as the Tutor.