Pene Pati was knighted May 11, 2026 as a “Knight of the Arts,” an honor given by the French government to those who have made a significant contribution to the arts.

Pati has performed at many of the leading opera houses in the world including the Paris Opera, Staatsoper Berlin, Opéra Comique, Teatro alla Scala, Teatro San Carlo, and in Strasbourg, Gstaad, Paris and Bordeaux. His repertoire includes the music of Offenbach, Massenet, Donizetti, Gounod, Puccini and Verdi.

He has been awarded the Opus Klassik Awards and prizes at the Operalia and Neue Stimmen competitions.

Here is his speech: