Happy Birthday, Rene Pape

www.renepape.com (click on photo to enlarge)

This post will be an unabashed declaration of undying devotion to the basso from Dresden, never mind that I'm about twice the man's age :~). I fell in love at first sight a few years ago watching the PBS broadcast of the Met's Tristan and Isolde. The opera by Wagner is about a couple of star crossed lovers who drink a love potion and fall hopelessly in love while one of them (Tristan) is supposed to be taking the other (Isolde) to marry his King - Marke. Watching the opera, I expected to empathize with the plight of the lovers. Instead, beginning in Act II, I found myself noticing and sympathizing with -- the jilted King. In the Second Act, the film shows a closeup of the leonine and very blue eyed Pape, singing dramatically in his mahogany, musky voice, but what sealed the deal for me was the curtain call at the end of the opera. Everyone loved Tristan's and Isolde's performances and applauded appropriately, but when Marke (Pape) steps out for his bow, the audience sounds like they're in a hockey arena - the man has stolen the show!