Person
René Pape
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…
IMDbKnown for
Popular titles
Biography
A closer look
Read full 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
Movies and shows, newest first
-
2025
Sven Helbig: Requiem A
Movie Himself (bass)
-
2025
The Metropolitan Opera: Fidelio
Movie Rocco
-
2023
Daphne - Berlin Staatsoper
Movie Peneios
-
2022
Giacomo Puccini: Turandot
Movie Timur
-
2021
The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunow
Movie Boris Godunov
-
2021
Die Zauberflöte aus der Semperoper Dresden
Movie Sarastro
-
2020
Lohengrin
Movie Heinrich der Vogler
-
2020
Metropolitan Opera At Home Gala
Movie Self
-
2019
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra
Movie Jacopo Fiesco
-
2019
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: T.H.A.M.O.S
Movie König Pape
-
2018
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Movie König Marke
-
2018
Parsifal - Bayerische Staatsoper
Movie Gurnemanz
-
2017
The Metropolitan Opera: Die Zauberflöte
Movie Sarastro
-
2017
The Metropolitan Opera: The Magic Flute
Movie Sarastro
-
2017
Schumann - Scenes from Goethe's Faust
Movie Mephistopheles / Evil Spirit / Pater Profondus
- 2017
More credits
-
2016
Tristan und Isolde - Metropolitan Opera
Movie König Marke
-
2016
Don Carlo
Movie Filippo II
-
2016
Mefistofele
Movie Mefistofele
-
2015
Parsifal
Movie Gurnemanz
-
2015
The Mariinsky II Opening Gala
Movie Self
-
2014
The Metropolitan Opera - Verdi: Macbeth
Movie Banquo
-
2014
Tannhäuser
Movie Hermann, Landgraf von Thüringen
-
2014
MDR um 4
TV show Self
-
2013
Wagner : Parsifal
Movie Gurnemanz
-
2013
Wagner: Das Rheingold
Movie Wotan
-
2013
Mozart Requiem - Claudio Abbado & Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Movie Self - Bass
- 2013
-
2013
Messiah
Movie
-
2013
Solti Centenary Concert
Movie bass
-
2013
Parsifal
Movie Gurnemanz
-
2012
Lohengrin: Opera romantica in tre atti
Movie Heinrich der Vogler
-
2011
Gounod: Faust
Movie Mephistophélès
-
2011
Faust (The Royal Opera House)
Movie Méphistophélès
-
2011
Salzburg Festival Opening Concert
Movie Self
-
2010
Hunter's Bride
Movie Eremit
-
2010
The Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov
Movie Boris Godunov
-
2010
Strauss R: Elektra
Movie Orest
-
2008
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Movie König Marke (bass)
-
2006
The Magic Flute
Movie Sarastro
