Acting · Dresden, Germany · Born September 4, 1964
"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.
Sven Helbig: Requiem A
2025
as Himself (bass)
MovieThe Metropolitan Opera: Fidelio
2025
as Rocco
MovieDaphne - Berlin Staatsoper
2023
as Peneios
MovieGiacomo Puccini: Turandot
2022
as Timur
MovieThe Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunow
2021
as Boris Godunov
MovieDie Zauberflöte aus der Semperoper Dresden
2021
as Sarastro
MovieLohengrin
2020
as Heinrich der Vogler
MovieMetropolitan Opera At Home Gala
2020
as Self
MovieVerdi: Simon Boccanegra
2019
as Jacopo Fiesco
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: T.H.A.M.O.S
2019
as König Pape
MovieWagner: Tristan und Isolde
2018
as König Marke
MovieThe Metropolitan Opera: Die Zauberflöte
2017
as Sarastro
MovieThe Metropolitan Opera: The Magic Flute
2017
as Sarastro
MovieSchumann - Scenes from Goethe's Faust
2017
as Mephistopheles / Evil Spirit / Pater Profondus
MovieFestive Concert on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Grafenegg Festival
2017
as Self - Bass
MovieThe Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde
2016
as King Marke
MovieParsifal
2016
as Gurnemanz
MovieDon Carlo
2016
as Filippo II
MovieMefistofele
2016
as Mefistofele
MovieThe Mariinsky II Opening Gala
2015
as Self
MovieThe Metropolitan Opera - Verdi: Macbeth
2014
as Banquo
MovieTannhäuser
2014
as Hermann, Landgraf von Thüringen
TVMDR um 4
2014
as Self
MovieWagner : Parsifal
2013
as Gurnemanz
MovieWagner: Das Rheingold
2013
as Wotan
MovieMozart Requiem - Claudio Abbado & Lucerne Festival Orchestra
2013
as Self - Bass
MovieWolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem - Claudio Abbado
2013
MovieMessiah
2013
MovieSolti Centenary Concert
2013
as bass
MovieParsifal
2013
as Gurnemanz
MovieLohengrin: Opera romantica in tre atti
2012
as Heinrich der Vogler
MovieGounod: Faust
2011
as Mephistophélès
MovieFaust (The Royal Opera House)
2011
as Méphistophélès
MovieSalzburg Festival Opening Concert
2011
as Self
MovieHunter's Bride
2010
as Eremit
MovieThe Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov
2010
as Boris Godunov
MovieStrauss R: Elektra
2010
as Orest
MovieWagner: Tristan und Isolde
2008
as König Marke (bass)
MovieThe Magic Flute
2006
as Sarastro
MovieThe Magic Flute
2006
as Sarastro
MovieThe Magic Flute
2006
as Sarastro
MovieBeethoven: Missa Solemnis
2006
as Self - Bass
Semperopernball
2006
as Self
MovieLudwig van Beethoven: Fidelio
2003
as Rocco
MovieDie Meistersinger Von Nürnberg
2001
MovieBeethoven: Fidelio
2000
as Rocco
MovieTristan und Isolde
1999
as King Marke
MovieLe nozze di Figaro
1999
as Figaro
MovieSamson et Dalila
1998
as Un vieillard hébreu
Lebensläufe
1998
as Self
MovieDie Schöpfung
1992
as Self - Bass
TVRiverboat
1992
as Self
MovieMozart Requiem
1991
as Self
TVGreat Performances
1971
as Rocco
My Home Is a Dark and Cloud-Hung Land
MovieVerdi: Messa da Requiem - Barenboim
as Bass
