René Pape
"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.
Photos
Films (52)
Sven Helbig: Requiem A
2025 · Himself (bass)
The Metropolitan Opera: Fidelio
2025 · Rocco
Daphne - Berlin Staatsoper
2023 · Peneios
Giacomo Puccini: Turandot
2022 · Timur
The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunow
2021 · Boris Godunov
Die Zauberflöte aus der Semperoper Dresden
2021 · Sarastro
Lohengrin
2020 · Heinrich der Vogler
Metropolitan Opera At Home Gala
2020 · Self
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra
2019 · Jacopo Fiesco
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: T.H.A.M.O.S
2019 · König Pape
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
2018 · König Marke
Parsifal - Bayerische Staatsoper
2018 · Gurnemanz
The Metropolitan Opera: Die Zauberflöte
2017 · Sarastro
The Metropolitan Opera: The Magic Flute
2017 · Sarastro
Schumann - Scenes from Goethe's Faust
2017 · Mephistopheles / Evil Spirit / Pater Profondus
Festive Concert on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Grafenegg Festival
2017 · Self - Bass
![Tristan und Isolde [The Metropolitan Opera]](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/82Pg7fyojd1z5OzYPcEtCf0QKZ1.jpg)
Tristan und Isolde [The Metropolitan Opera]
2016 · König Marke
Don Carlo
2016 · Filippo II
Mefistofele
2016 · Mefistofele
Parsifal
2015 · Gurnemanz
The Mariinsky II Opening Gala
2015 · Self
The Metropolitan Opera - Verdi: Macbeth
2014 · Banquo
Tannhäuser
2014 · Hermann, Landgraf von Thüringen
Wagner : Parsifal
2013 · Gurnemanz
Wagner: Das Rheingold
2013 · Wotan
Mozart Requiem - Claudio Abbado & Lucerne Festival Orchestra
2013 · Self - Bass
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem - Claudio Abbado
2013
Messiah
2013
Solti Centenary Concert
2013 · bass
Parsifal
2013 · Gurnemanz
Lohengrin: Opera romantica in tre atti
2012 · Heinrich der Vogler
Gounod: Faust
2011 · Mephistophélès
Faust (The Royal Opera House)
2011 · Méphistophélès
Salzburg Festival Opening Concert
2011 · Self
Hunter's Bride
2010 · Eremit
The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov
2010 · Boris Godunov
Strauss R: Elektra
2010 · Orest
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
2008 · König Marke (bass)
La flûte enchantée
2006 · Sarastro
La flûte enchantée
2006 · Sarastro
The Magic Flute
2006 · Sarastro
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
2006 · Self - Bass
Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio
2003 · Rocco
Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg
2001
Beethoven: Fidelio
2000 · Rocco
Tristan und Isolde
1999 · King Marke
Le nozze di Figaro
1999 · Figaro
Samson et Dalila
1998 · Un vieillard hébreu
Die Schöpfung
1992 · Self - Bass
Mozart Requiem
1991 · Self
My Home Is a Dark and Cloud-Hung Land
Verdi: Messa da Requiem - Barenboim
· Bass
