René Pape

Born in Dresden, René Pape has been a near-permanent fixture at the Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden since 1988 and calls the New York Metropolitan Opera his "home away from home". Since making his house debut there in 1995, he has graced the Met stage in 18 roles and in more than 160 performances, including numerous role debuts, such as Méphistophélès in Gounod's "Faust", Gurnemanz in "Parsifal", Escamillo in "Carmen" and the Old Hebrew in "Samson et Dalila". Notable roles at the Berlin Staatsoper include König Marke in "Tristan und Isolde", Kein Heinrich in "Lohengrin", Sarastro in "Die Zauberflöte", Pogner in "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg", Rocco in "Fidelio", Fasolt in "Das Rheingold", Hunding in "Die Walküre" and the title role in "Don Giovanni".