René Pape reaps praise in Met’s “Parsifal,” with more Wagner in spring
Reaping universal praise with his signature Gurnemanz in the Metropolitan Opera’s current hit production of Parsifal, René Pape is poised to earn more kudos with a spring and summer full of high-profile Wagner performances – particularly as Wotan in Das Rheingold and Die Walküre at the Berlin State Opera under Daniel Barenboim (March 23-April 14). In the New York Times review of François Girard’s new Met production of Parsifal, Anthony Tommasini reminded readers that Pape was playing “a role he owns.” Tommasini added: “Upbraiding Parsifal, Mr. Pape’s Gurnemanz sings with a mix of chilling reproach and baffled grief. Authority is built into Mr. Pape’s powerful, deep voice and crisp, natural diction.” The Associated Press offered its approbation, too: “Pape pours out unstinting rich, velvety sound, but just as important, his is a deeply felt interpretation: His joy at the miracle that has brought Parsifal back and saved the knights brings tears to his eyes – and ours.” As Wotan in a new Die Walküre recording conducted by Valery Gergiev for the Mariinsky label, Pape won rave reviews on both sides of the Atlantic, including another AP accolade for his “unusually brooding, introspective god.”
Pape – who graces the cover of Classical Singer magazine this month – performs alongside tenor Jonas Kaufmann (as Siegmund) and top Wagnerian soprano Nina Stemme (as Brünnhilde) on the Gergiev-led live recording of Die Walküre. In the Met’s Parsifal, Pape has also been appearing with Kaufmann (who is in the title role), with Daniele Gatti conducting. The accolades for Pape’s Gurnemanz kept coming, with the Huffington Post lauding the way he “filled the room with his bass” and Bloomberg News glowing over his “rare presence.” The Classical Review offered extended praise: “Humble and solemn in mien, Pape sings with unfailingly rich and resonant tone, unfurling phrase after phrase of majestic beauty as he hails nature’s restored innocence in Act III. He spins silken legato lines, articulates the text with a poet’s soulful clarity, and credibly embodies both the vigorous man in his prime in Act I and the wizened, forlorn knight who greets Parsifal in Act III.” Pape’s performance will be part of the Parsifal broadcast to cinemas worldwide in the Met’s popular “Live in HD” series on March 2.
As winter turns to spring, Pape returns to the Berlin State Opera for the reprise of its Ring cycle, with performances of Das Rheingold (March 23, April 4 and13) and Die Walküre (March 24, April 5 and 14) led by Daniel Barenboim. Pape and Barenboim also team up for Die Walküre at La Scala June 18 and 25. The following month will see Pape singing King Marke in Tristan und Isolde conducted by Kent Nagano at the Munich State Opera, as well as concerts of Wagner arias in Dresden (July 6-7, with Juanjo Mena conducting) and Aix-en-Provence (July 18, with Esa-Pekka Salonen).
For those seeking a foretaste of Pape’s brilliance in Die Walküre and Parsifal, there is his album Wagner Arias, released by Deutsche Grammophon in 2011. That much-esteemed recording, with Barenboim conducting the Staatskapelle Berlin, presents the bass as Gurnemanz in Parsifal and Wotan in Die Walküre, as well as Heinrich in Lohengrin. The album was featured as an Editor’s Choice in Gramophone, where Arnold Whittall’s review summed up the singer’s appeal: “It’s not often we hear this music so gorgeously intoned. … When it comes to sheer vocal refinement and the purest Wagnerian gravitas, René Pape is hard to beat.” Wagner Arias won Pape his second ECHO Klassik award, the German equivalent of a Grammy, for Opera Recording of the Year. WQXR, New York’s classical station, declared the album “a must for any Wagnerite.”
René Pape: upcoming engagements
February 27; March 2, 5 & 8
New York, NY
Metropolitan Opera
Wagner: Parsifal (Gurnemanz)
Daniele Gatti, conductor
March 23; April 4 & 13
Berlin, Germany
Berlin State Opera
Wagner: Das Rheingold (Wotan)
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
March 24; April 5 & 14
Berlin, Germany
Berlin State Opera
Wagner: Die Walküre (Wotan)
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
March 30
Berlin, Germany
Berlin State Opera
Verdi: Requiem
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
April 1
Berlin, Germany
Berlin State Opera
Mozart: Requiem
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
May 12
Dresden, Germany
Dresden Music Festival
Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius
Roderich Kreile, conductor
May 16
Florence, Italy
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Verdi: Requiem
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
May 20
Salzburg, Austria
Whitsun Festival
Brahms: A German Requiem
West-Eastern Divan Orchestra; Daniel Barenboim, conductor
June 18 & 25
Milan, Italy
Teatro alla Scala
Wagner: Die Walküre (Wotan)
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
July 6-7
Dresden, Germany
Albertinum
Wagner: Arias
Dresden Philharmonic; Juanjo Mena, conductor
July 11
Munich, Germany
Munich State Opera
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (King Marke)
Kent Nagano, conductor
July 18
Aix-en-Provence Festival, France
Wagner: Arias
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
July 25 & 28
Munich, Germany
Munich State Opera
Verdi: Don Carlos (Phillip II)
Zubin Mehta, conductor
July 27
Munich, Germany
Munich State Opera
Verdi: Requiem
Zubin Mehta, conductor
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