René Pape Makes West Coast Recital Debut at Los Angeles Opera on Jan 15

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with Songs by Schubert, Schumann, and Wolf

René Pape, who triumphed earlier this season as Boris Godunov at the Metropolitan Opera, will present the most intimate side of his art when he makes his West Coast recital debut on January 15 at the Los Angeles Opera. The program will feature some of the greatest, deepest songs by Schubert, Schumann, and Hugo Wolf, with Brian Zeger accompanying on piano. Reviewing a similar program, which the German bass presented for his long-awaited Carnegie Hall recital debut in spring 2009, New York Times critic Allan Kozinn marveled at the “depth and power of Mr. Pape’s sound, as well as the subtlety of his interpretive style.” Kozinn added that Pape makes even the most famous Schubert songs, like “Ständchen,” sound fresh, thanks to “the balance of drama and gentleness” in his singing. Along with Schumann’s plaintive cycle Dichterliebe, Pape will also sing Wolf’s less familiar Michelangelo songs, which at Carnegie moved Kozinn with their “pure, soul-wrenching introspection.”

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