René Pape
Known For
Acting
Born
1964-09-04 in Dresden, Germany
Biography
"René Pape’s bass showed considerable velvet sheen and elegant dynamic play; purely as singing and star presence, he impressed." Born in Dresden, Black Diamond Bass Rene Pape has been a member of the Berlin State Opera since 1988, but considers New York’s Metropolitan Opera his operatic “home away from home.” Since his house debut in 1995, he has appeared every season at the Met, in 18 roles and more than 160 performances, including four major debuts: Méphistophélès in Faust, Gurnemanz in Parsifal, Escamillo in Carmen, and the Old Hebrew in Samson et Dalila. But it was at the famous Unter den Linden – home of the Berlin State Opera – where Pape honed most of the great roles of his career. Music Director Daniel Barenboim was an early supporter, and the Berlin State Opera has played host to Pape’s performances as King Marke in Tristan und Isolde; King Heinrich in Lohengrin; Sarastro in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte; Pogner in DieMeistersinger; Rocco in Beethoven’s Fidelio; Fasolt in Das Rheingold; Hunding in Die Walküre; and the title role in Don Giovanni. The opera house was also the venue for Pape’s appearances as Ramfis in Verdi’s Aida; Figaro in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro; Leporello in Don Giovanni; and Orest in Strauss’s Elektra. Pape’s first CD of solo arias, Gods, Kings & Demons, was released in 2008 on Deutsche Grammophon with his hometown orchestra, the Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Sebastian Weigle. The disc won a coveted “ECHO” award, the German equivalent of a Grammy. Pape performs regularly in major opera houses, concert halls, and symphony orchestras around the world, as well as opera festivals such as Bayreuth, Glyndebourne, Lucerne, Orange, Saint-Petersburg, Salzburg, Verbier and White Nights. He currently resides in Austria and Berlin.
Most Known For
Great Performances
as Rocco
MDR um 4
as Self
Riverboat
as Self
Lebensläufe
as Self
The Magic Flute
as Sarastro
Semperopernball
as Self
The Magic Flute
as Sarastro
Die Schöpfung
as Self - Bass
Mozart Requiem
as Self
Parsifal
as Gurnemanz
The Magic Flute
as Sarastro
Gounod: Faust
as Mephistophélès
Metropolitan Opera At Home Gala
as Self
Beethoven: Fidelio
as Rocco
The Mariinsky II Opening Gala
as Self
Hunter's Bride
as Eremit
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (Salzburg Festival)
as Jacopo Fiesco
Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg
Giacomo Puccini: Turandot
as Timur
The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde
as King Marke