René Pape honored as a Kammersänger in Munich

René Pape was honored as a Kammersänger of the Bayerische Staatsoper on July 6, following a performance of Die Zauberflöte in which he sang Sarastro. He joins an artistic roster including Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Fritz Wunderlich, Edda Moser, and others in receiving this honor, given to distinguished opera singers. This is the second time Mr. Pape has been made Kammersänger of a theater, having already received the honor from the Staatsoper Berlin. Other awards include an ECHO Klassik Award for his solo recording Gods, Kings and Demons and “Artist of the Year” from the German Critics Association in 2006.

Mr. Pape has been met with international success since his stage debut in 1988, and has sung at the world’s leading opera houses to great critical acclaim. Opera News commented, “René Pape is an artist who thrills his audiences with charisma, intelligence, and a one-in-a-million voice: the luxurious timbre of Pape’s supple, expressive bass is unmistakable; its velvety, dark-brown texture shot with ear-catching flashes of brightness.” He is especially well-known for his portrayals of Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, King Marke in Tristan und Isolde, and King Heinrich in Lohengrin. Other roles include Méphistophélès (Faust), Banquo (Macbeth), Philipp II, King of Spain (Don Carlo) and the title roles in Don Giovanni, Mefistofele and Boris Godunov, among others. His recent portrayal of Mefistofele, the title role in Boito’s opera, was captured on film at the Bayerische Staatsoper and is now available for purchase. Later this month, Mr. Pape returns to the Bayreuth Festival to sing King Marke in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, under the baton of Christian Thielemann.