René Pape

Known for ActingBorn 1964-09-04 (age 61)Dresden, Germany

"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.Read more

Movies & web series

Faust (The Royal Opera House)

Strauss R: Elektra

Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg

Beethoven: Fidelio

The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde

Tristan und Isolde

Metropolitan Opera At Home Gala

Messiah

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem - Claudio Abbado

The Magic Flute

Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio

Parsifal

Lohengrin: Opera romantica in tre atti

Le nozze di Figaro

The Metropolitan Opera: Fidelio

Hunter's Bride

The Magic Flute

The Magic Flute

Great Performances

Riverboat

MDR um 4

Sven Helbig: Requiem A

Daphne - Berlin Staatsoper

Giacomo Puccini: Turandot

The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunow

Die Zauberflöte aus der Semperoper Dresden

Lohengrin

Verdi: Simon Boccanegra

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: T.H.A.M.O.S

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde

The Metropolitan Opera: Die Zauberflöte

Schumann - Scenes from Goethe's Faust

The Metropolitan Opera: The Magic Flute

Festive Concert on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Grafenegg Festival

Mefistofele

Parsifal

Don Carlo

The Mariinsky II Opening Gala

The Metropolitan Opera - Verdi: Macbeth

Tannhäuser

Solti Centenary Concert

Wagner : Parsifal

Wagner: Das Rheingold

Mozart Requiem - Claudio Abbado & Lucerne Festival Orchestra

Salzburg Festival Opening Concert

Gounod: Faust

The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde