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René Pape’s bass has resonated in opera houses and performance halls and moved audiences around the world. Renowned for the silky quality of his voice, combined with impeccable technique and masterful control over dynamics, the Dresden-born singer has sung nearly all bass parts in the opera repertoire. At his Solo Recital René Pape brings his favourite classical songs by famous composers to the Vienna State Opera. Under the piano accompaniment of Camillo Radicke, he will sing the melodies of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, Hugo Wolf, Roger Quilter and Jean Sibelius.

Pape’s velvety bass and complete vocal control lend themselves perfectly to the playful and rich melodies of Mozart. “Die ihr des unermesslichen Weltalls Schöpfer ehrt” thus acts as an excellent opening for the Solo Recital and acquaints the uninitiated with the singer’s mastery and skill. From there, “Three Songs on Lyrics by Michelangelo for Bass” by Hugo Wolf and nine of Franz Schubert's finest melodies display Pape’s many artistic faces. After a short intermission, a selection of songs by John Quilter and Jean Sibelius completes the programme.

A setlist that spans so many and so varied composers requires artistry and presence to match, and René Pape certainly is the man for the job. Noted for his clear enunciation and powerful yet subdued on-stage persona, he lets the wilful modulation and articulation of his vocal phrasing do the talking. In approaching the different sensibilities and styles of the famous composers on the bill, Pape can lean back on a career full of diverse and challenging bass roles. From Gisueppe Verdi’s Aida and Don Carlos, through Richard Wagner’s Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Don Giovanni, the German bass has the artistic and vocal chops to make any performance special. Under the piano accompaniment of long-time collaborator Camillo Radicke, the Solo Recital René Pape is a joy to the ears.