René Pape
Acting • Born 1964-09-04
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.
Filmography
56 credits
Faust (The Royal Opera House)
Movie • 2011
Méphistophélès
The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunow
Movie • 2021
Boris Godunov
The Magic Flute
Movie • 2006
Sarastro
Samson et Dalila
Movie • 1998
Un vieillard hébreu
Strauss R: Elektra
Movie • 2010
Orest
Salzburg Festival Opening Concert
Movie • 2011
Self
Lohengrin: Opera romantica in tre atti
Movie • 2012
Heinrich der Vogler
Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio
Movie • 2003
Rocco
The Metropolitan Opera: Die Zauberflöte
Movie • 2017
Sarastro
The Metropolitan Opera - Verdi: Macbeth
Movie • 2014
Banquo
The Magic Flute
Movie • 2006
Sarastro
Schumann - Scenes from Goethe's Faust
Movie • 2017
Mephistopheles / Evil Spirit / Pater Profondus
Giacomo Puccini: Turandot
Movie • 2022
Timur
Solti Centenary Concert
Movie • 2013
bass
Beethoven: Fidelio
Movie • 2000
Rocco
Parsifal
Movie • 2013
Gurnemanz
Hunter's Bride
Movie • 2010
Eremit
Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg
Movie • 2001
Messiah
Movie • 2013
The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde
Movie • 2016
King Marke
The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov
Movie • 2010
Boris Godunov
Gounod: Faust
Movie • 2011
Mephistophélès
The Magic Flute
Movie • 2006
Sarastro
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Movie • 2008
König Marke (bass)
Wagner : Parsifal
Movie • 2013
Gurnemanz
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Movie • 2018
König Marke
Le nozze di Figaro
Movie • 1999
Figaro
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (Salzburg Festival)
Movie • 2019
Jacopo Fiesco
Mozart Requiem
Movie • 1991
Self
Mefistofele
Movie • 2016
Mefistofele
Wagner: Das Rheingold
Movie • 2013
Wotan
The Metropolitan Opera: The Magic Flute
Movie • 2017
Sarastro
Tannhäuser
Movie • 2014
Hermann, Landgraf von Thüringen
Metropolitan Opera At Home Gala
Movie • 2020
Self
Tristan und Isolde
Movie • 1999
King Marke
Mozart Requiem - Claudio Abbado & Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Movie • 2013
Self - Bass
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem - Claudio Abbado
Movie • 2013
Die Zauberflöte aus der Semperoper Dresden
Movie • 2021
Sarastro
Parsifal
Movie • 2016
Gurnemanz
Lohengrin
Movie • 2020
Heinrich der Vogler
Don Carlo
Movie • 2016
Filippo II
The Metropolitan Opera: Fidelio
Movie • 2025
Rocco
Daphne - Berlin Staatsoper
Movie • 2023
Peneios
Sven Helbig: Requiem A
Movie • 2025
Himself (bass)
Festive Concert on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Grafenegg Festival
Movie • 2017
Self - Bass
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: T.H.A.M.O.S
Movie • 2019
König Pape
My Home Is a Dark and Cloud-Hung Land
Movie
Verdi: Messa da Requiem - Barenboim
Movie
Bass
The Mariinsky II Opening Gala
Movie • 2015
Self
Die Schöpfung
Movie • 1992
Self - Bass
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
Movie • 2006
Self - Bass
MDR um 4
TV • 2014
Self
Lebensläufe
TV • 1998
Self
Riverboat
TV • 1992
Self
Semperopernball
TV • 2006
Self
Great Performances
TV • 1971
Rocco