René Pape
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.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (47)
Sven Helbig: Requiem A
as Himself (bass)
2025
The Metropolitan Opera: Fidelio
as Rocco
2025
Daphne - Berlin Staatsoper
as Peneios
2023
Giacomo Puccini: Turandot
as Timur
2022
The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunow
as Boris Godunov
2021
Die Zauberflöte aus der Semperoper Dresden
as Sarastro
2021
Lohengrin
as Heinrich der Vogler
2020
Metropolitan Opera At Home Gala
as Self
2020
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (Salzburg Festival)
as Jacopo Fiesco
2019
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: T.H.A.M.O.S
as König Pape
2019
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
as König Marke
2018
The Metropolitan Opera: Die Zauberflöte
as Sarastro
2017
The Metropolitan Opera: The Magic Flute
as Sarastro
2017
Schumann - Scenes from Goethe's Faust
as Mephistopheles
2017
Festive Concert on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Grafenegg Festival
as Self - Bass
2017
The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde
as King Marke
2016
Parsifal
as Gurnemanz
2016
Don Carlo
as Filippo II
2016
Mefistofele
as Mefistofele
2016
The Mariinsky II Opening Gala
as Self
2015
The Metropolitan Opera - Verdi: Macbeth
as Banquo
2014
Tannhäuser
as Hermann, Landgraf von Thüringen
2014
Wagner : Parsifal
as Gurnemanz
2013
Wagner: Das Rheingold
as Wotan
2013
Mozart Requiem - Claudio Abbado & Lucerne Festival Orchestra
as Self - Bass
2013
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem - Claudio Abbado
2013
Messiah
2013
Solti Centenary Concert
as bass
2013
Parsifal
as Gurnemanz
2013
Lohengrin: Opera romantica in tre atti
as Heinrich der Vogler
2012
Gounod: Faust
as Mephistophélès
2011
Faust (The Royal Opera House)
as Méphistophélès
2011
Salzburg Festival Opening Concert
as Self
2011
Hunter's Bride
as Eremit
2010
The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov
as Boris Godunov
2010
Strauss R: Elektra
as Orest
2010
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
as König Marke (bass)
2008
The Magic Flute
as Sarastro
2006
The Magic Flute
as Sarastro
2006
The Magic Flute
as Sarastro
2006
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
as Self - Bass
2006
Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio
as Rocco
2003
Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg
2001
Beethoven: Fidelio
as Rocco
2000
Tristan und Isolde
as King Marke
1999
Le nozze di Figaro
as Figaro
1999
Samson et Dalila
as Un vieillard hébreu
1998
