René Pape plays Sarastro. René was born in 1964 in Dresden, Germany where he also received his musical education.

René has been performing on the stage since he was 12 and has said that he is never nervous before or during a performance.

At the age of 23 René was cast as the youngest ever Sarastro in the Salzburg Festival's production of 'The Magic Flute'

René has sung with internationally renowned Tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo.

René has twice been awarded a Grammy for singing on the 'Best Opera Recording' in 1997 and 2002.

In December 2001 he was chosen by the magazine 'Musical America' as 'Singer of the Year'.

René on making 'The Magic Flute': "It's very different acting for the camera than onstage. Onstage there is a huge distance between you and the audience, unlike when you are right in front of the camera."

"We recorded the soundtrack separately, so we lip-synch on film. It's not easy to do and I am working with a professional lip-synching coach."

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"Film is fun and a different world. Though it's tough for singers as we are night people—and for movies you have to get up at 5:30 a.m.! I am not a morning person, but your body adjusts."

'The role of Sarastro requires a singer with a bass vocal range. A bass is a male singer who sings in the lowest of the human voice.
This shows how the bass vocal range is represented on the keyboard of a piano: