First opera prize at the Canari International Singing Competition in Corsica (chaired by Gabriel Bacquier) and winner of the audience's prize at the Marmande International Singing Competition in France, baritone Dominique Côté is hailed by the public and critics for his warm voice and his moving interpretations. The New York Times called his recent performances in Une Éducation Manquée by Chabrier and Léonore by Gavaux in New York and Washington a "fine vocal performance". His portrayal of the Countess in the opera Les Feluettes by Michel Marc Bouchard and Kevin March at the Edmonton Opera has been described as "virtuoso" by the press, just like in the title role of Nelligan by Gagnon where he was described as "simply extraordinary".
Recently, he sang Brahms Ein Deutsches Requeim with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Four Bach Cantatas with Les Violons du Roy conducted by Alexander Weimann in Montreal and Quebec City, Fauré’s and Duruflé’s Requiem with Ensemble Vocal Art-Québec under the direction of Francis Choinière at Maison Symphonique and Palais Montcalm and Schaunard in Puccini’s La Bohème conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni with OSTR. Other recent and upcoming engagements includes Charpentier’s Te Deum with Hervé Niquet in Montréal and Québec, a return to OSM with Les Cowboys Fringants, Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas with Ensemble Caprice, a return to Les Grands Ballets Canadiens for Carmina Burana, and appeared in multiple performances of Handel’s Messiah with Ensemble Caprice. He will create the role of Gerard in the world premiere of Messe Solennelle pour une pleine lune d’été at Festival d’Opéra de Québec, as well as singing Eisenstein in Strauss’s La Chauve Souris for the closing of Opera de Québec regular season.
For the 2020-21 season, despite the pandemic we were able to hear him in Colorado and on the web in the title role of Le Maréchal Ferrant by Philidort with Opéra Lafayette. He was part of the Opéra de Québec Gala for Valentine's Day directed by Jean-Marie Zeitouni, he sang Anthony Candolino in Les Leçons de Maria Callas at Festival Opéra de Québec and sang Brahms's Liebeslieders with soprano Karina Gauvin for the Montreal Chamber Music Festival. He also participated in several recordings of shows with the OSM during the closing of the halls. Before that, we heard him in Berlioz's Lélio conducted by Maestro Nagano with OSM and he was the solo baritone in Carmina Burana with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens under the direction of Dina Gilbert, in Edward Clug's brand new choreography. He was extremely successful in the title role of Nelligan at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, directed by Normand Chouinard.
Also trained as an actor, Dominique has played several roles on the small screen, including Étienne Bernard in Emma on TVA and Renaud in Virginie on the CBC. Very popular in musical works with dialogues, we have heard it in recent years in Strauss's Die Fledermaus at the Geneva, Montreal and Quebec Opera houses, Hérold's Le Pré aux Clercs at the Wexford Opera Festival, Offenbach's La Belle Hélène at the Marseille Opera, Carmen by Bizet at the Pacific Opera Victoria and at the Opéra de Montréal, Le Roi Carotte by Offenbach at the Opéra de Lille, Delibes’s Lakmé at Opéra de Montréal, L'Affaire Tailleferre at the Limoges Opera which was broadcast nationally and produced on DVD by Bel-Air Media.
In concert, he sings under the direction of conductor such as Jacques Lacombe, Kent Nagano, Theodor Guschlbauer, Christophe Rousset, Dina Gilbert, Jean-Marie Zeitouni, Alexander Weimann, Francis Choinière, Simon Leclerc, Martin Dagenais, Timothy Vernon and John Keenan various works like Orff’s Carmina Burana, Te Deum by Lully and Charpentier, Requiems by Fauré, Mozart, Brahms and Duruflé, Bach’s Cantatas and Passions, Handel’s Messiah, as well as several extracts from operas.
His discography includes several world premieres: La Société Anonyme des Messieurs Prudents by Louis Beydts with the Avignon-Provence Orchestra conducted by Samuel Jean, Nicandro e Fileno by Paolo Lorenzani with Les Boréades conducted by Francis Colpron, L'affaire Tailleferre by Germaine Tailleferre with the Opéra de Limoges conducted by Christophe Rousset, Léonore by Gavaux conducted by Ryan Brown with Opéra Lafayette and Gagnon's Nelligan with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal conducted by Jacques Lacombe.
His first solo album was released in February 2022: Amour et Fantaisie, devoted to the melodies of Lionel Daunais. Produced by ATMA Classique with Esther Gonthier on the piano, the album is a great public and critical success and was nominated as Best Classical Recording at Gala des Prix Opus in Quebec. A new recording of the opera Nelligan by André Gagnon and Michel Tremblay was released as well in 2022, and Boismortier’s Don Quichotte chez La Duchesse conducted by Matthias Maute will be launch in 2023, both for ATMA Classique.
