About

Known credits:
47
Birthday:
1964-09-04
Place of birth:
Dresden, Germany
Website:
Click here

René Pape

Overview

"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.

Known for

Acting
2025 The Metropolitan Opera: Fidelio Actor Rocco N/A
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2022 Giacomo Puccini: Turandot Actor Timur N/A
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2021 The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov Actor Boris Godunov N/A
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2021 Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov Actor Boris 59
Average
2021 Die Zauberflöte aus der Semperoper Dresden Actor Sarastro N/A
N/A
2020 Lohengrin Actor Heinrich der Vogler N/A
N/A
2020 Metropolitan Opera At Home Gala Actor Self 59
Average
2019 Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (Salzburg Festival) Actor Jacopo Fiesco N/A
N/A
2018 Wagner: Tristan und Isolde Actor König Marke N/A
N/A
2017 The Metropolitan Opera: Die Zauberflöte Actor Sarastro N/A
N/A
2017 The Metropolitan Opera: The Magic Flute Actor Sarastro N/A
N/A
2017 Schumann - Scenes from Goethe's Faust Actor Mephistopheles N/A
N/A
2016 The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde Actor King Marke 59
Average
2016 Parsifal Actor Gurnemanz N/A
N/A
2016 Don Carlo Actor Filippo II N/A
N/A
2016 Mefistofele Actor Mefistofele N/A
N/A
2015 Verdi: Macbeth Actor Banco 59
Average
2014 The Metropolitan Opera: Macbeth Actor Banquo N/A
N/A
2014 Macbeth Actor Banquo N/A
N/A
2014 Verdi Macbeth Actor Banco N/A
N/A
2014 Tannhäuser Actor Hermann, Landgraf von Thüringen N/A
N/A
2013 Wagner : Parsifal Actor Gurnemanz N/A
N/A
2013 Mozart Requiem - Claudio Abbado & Lucerne Festival Orchestra Actor Self - Bass N/A
N/A
2013 Wagner: Das Rheingold Actor Wotan N/A
N/A
2013 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem - Claudio Abbado Actor 59
Average
2013 Verdi: Requiem Actor 59
Average
2013 Solti Centenary Concert Actor bass N/A
N/A
2013 Parsifal Actor Gurnemanz 59
Average
2013 Wagner: Parsifal Actor Gurnemanz N/A
N/A
2012 Lohengrin: Opera romantica in tre atti Actor Heinrich der Vogler N/A
N/A
2011 Gounod: Faust Actor Mephistophélès N/A
N/A
2011 Faust (Covent Garden) Actor Méphistophélès 59
Average
2011 Salzburg Festival Opening Concert Actor Self N/A
N/A
2010 Hunter's Bride Actor Eremit 59
Average
2010 The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov Actor Boris Godunov N/A
N/A
2010 Strauss R: Elektra Actor Orest 59
Average
2008 Wagner: Tristan und Isolde Actor König Marke (bass) N/A
N/A
2006 The Magic Flute Actor Sarastro 59
Average
2006 The Magic Flute Actor Sarastro 59
Average
2006 The Magic Flute Actor Sarastro 59
Average
2003 Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio Actor Rocco 59
Average
2001 Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg Actor 59
Average
2000 Beethoven: Fidelio Actor Rocco 59
Average
1999 Tristan und Isolde Actor King Marke 59
Average
1999 Le nozze di Figaro Actor Figaro N/A
N/A
1998 Samson et Dalila Actor Un vieillard hébreu N/A
N/A
1991 Mozart Requiem Actor Self N/A
N/A