The Met Mastersingers Presents Rene Pape At Town Hall 10/27

On Wednesday, October 27, the Metropolitan Opera Guild presents the second installment of its exciting new series: "The Met Mastersingers". This season's honoree is star bass René Pape - soon to appear in the title role of the Met's new production of Boris Godunov - who will join the Guild's executive producer Paul Gruber in an informal conversation about his life and career. The event will take place at New York's Town Hall and will feature screenings of highlights from the Pape's most celebrated filmed performances from the Metropolitan Opera and Europe, including many never shown in the U.S., and a new video profile, especially created for the occasion. Pape will also perform some of his favorite songs, with pianist Brian Zeger. Ticket and other information for "The Met Mastersingers: René Pape" follows below.

Among the filmed performances and appearances to be screened are: highlights from Met productions (Beethoven's Fidelio and Wagner's Die Meistersinger and Tristan und Isolde) and Met gala concert performances; excerpts from concerts in Europe, many of which have never been seen in the United States; a scene from the Salzburg production of Strauss's Elektra, performed just last month; and a scene from the Met: Live in HD performance of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, which will have been broadcast live just four days before the Guild event.

Considered "the world's most charismatic bass" (Opera News), Dresden-native René Pape has been a member of the Berlin State Opera since 1988, but views New York's Metropolitan Opera as his operatic home away from home, and has appeared there every season since 1995 in a total of 18 roles and more than 160 performances. In 2006, he expanded his repertoire to include the title role of Boris Godunov, which won him the title "Artist of the Year" from the German Critics Association and kicks off his new season in New York.

Paul Gruber has interviewed some of the greatest classical musicians of our time at Guild events; when he talked to James Levine, music director of the Metropolitan Opera, the occasion was described as "a joy from start to finish" (ConcertoNet.com). Gruber's last conversation at Town Hall was with soprano Renée Fleming, the first honoree in the Guild's "Met Mastersingers" series. When asked about having the opportunity to produce this event and chat onstage with Pape, Gruber commented:

"René Pape is one of the great artists on the opera stage today, and the Metropolitan Opera Guild is honored to pay tribute to him in our ‘Met Mastersingers' series. For nearly 20 years he has dominated the bass repertoire in the world's leading opera houses, and it's fortunate for New Yorkers that he considers the Met his ‘home away from home.' Pape just gets better and better, and his repertory has grown to include such roles as Boris Godunov - which he takes on next month in a new Met production -- and Wotan in Wagner's Ring. He is truly one of today's mastersingers."

All Guild events benefit the Metropolitan Opera Guild's education programs.

* Chicago Sun-Times

Wednesday, October 27 at 8pm

MET MASTERSINGERS: RENE PAPE
The Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street, New York City
The star of the Met's Boris Godunov will be on stage with Paul Gruber to discuss his work, watch video excerpts of his performances, and sing some favorite songs.
Tickets are $45 for Guild members and Met patrons, and $75 for all others. Following the program, join the Guild for an artists' reception with champagne and dessert: $150 for premium seating and reception. For tickets, call (212) 769-7009, or order online at www.metguild.org.