René Pape’s Summer Is Replete With European Festival Appearances, Including Schleswig-Holstein, Verbier, and Salzburg

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Pape Performs Verdi in Japan With La Scala Forces Under Barenboim, and Opens Berlin State Opera’s New Season With Tristan und Isolde

This summer, German basso René Pape appears at several of the most prestigious European music festivals – including Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein , Switzerland ’s Verbier, and Austria’s Salzburg . On July 20, Pape portrays Leporello in a concert performance of Don Giovanni at the Verbier Festival, and on the 21st he participates in a gala concert with colleagues Bryn Terfel, Thomas Quasthoff, Vadim Repin, Mischa Maisky, and Lang-Lang. A week later he sings in the Salzburg Festival’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, with Paavo Järvi conducting the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie.

On August 29, Pape portrays King Marke in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde on opening night of the Berlin State Opera “Unter den Linden” for his home company’s 2009-10 season. Soon after, he departs for Tokyo with the orchestra and chorus of Milan’s La Scala. There he’ll give five performances as King Philip II – like King Marke, a signature role – in Verdi’s Don Carlo under Daniele Gatti, and reprise the Verdi Requiem under Daniel Barenboim, having opened his summer season with an unprecedented performance of the work in Tel Aviv, with La Scala forces on their first visit to Israel .

René Pape, film star
Two years ago Pape played both Sarastro and the Speaker in Kenneth Branagh’s poignant film version of Mozart’s Magic Flute, set in World War I – now set for U.S. distribution. This year Pape is recording Carl Maria von Weber’s ur-Romantic opera Der Freischütz for a film soundtrack in the authentic setting of Schloss Moritzburg in Dresden, Saxony – the region from which the opera – like Pape himself – originated.

René Pape: Summer 2009 engagements

July 20
Verbier, Switzerland : Don Giovanni (Leporello)
Honeck

July 21
Verbier, Switzerland
Gala with Mischa Maisky, Lang-Lang, Thomas Quasthoff, Vadim Repin, Bryn Terfel

July 29
Salzburg Festival
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen / Järvi

August 29
Berlin State Opera season opening
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (King Marke)
Barenboim

September 8, 12, 13, 15, 17
Tokyo, Japan
Verdi: Don Carlo (Philip II)
Teatro alla Scala di Milano / Gatti

September 10
Tokyo, Japan
Verdi: Requiem
Teatro alla Scala di Milano / Barenboim

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