René Pape Kicks Off 2011-12 with Faust at Covent Garden (Sept 18) and Met (Nov 29)

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"A mix of seductive lyricism and awesome power." -- Chicago Sun-Times on René Pape's Méphistophélès

Peerless bass René Pape – honored last season as a “Mastersinger” by the Metropolitan Opera for such triumphs as his universally acclaimed Boris Godunov – launches his 2011-12 season on September 18, when he stars as Méphistophélès in the all-star David McVicar production of Gounod’s Faust at London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The Covent Garden Faust runs until October 10, with the September 28 performance to be beamed live into cinemas around the world. Already lauded in Europe as “unquestionably magnificent” (Guardian, UK), Pape’s latest Deutsche Grammophon solo album, titled Wagner Arias, will be released in the U.S. on October 4. And the German singer crosses the Atlantic to play the Devil again in another starry production of Faust, this time at the Metropolitan Opera, in the Des McAnuff staging that runs from November 29 to January 19.

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