Born into a family of artists, Dominique Corbiau began his musical journey at the age of four with piano lessons. Later, he explored the transverse flute and cello, but it was in singing that he found his true calling. Always drawn to the Baroque era, it was natural for him to develop his voice as a countertenor.
After singing with the RTBF Children's Choir, he was admitted to the Royal Conservatory of Music in Liège and continued his studies at the Conservatory of Music in Mons, graduating in July 2001 with three First Prizes: Concert Singing, Chamber Music, and Opera Singing. In 2003, he also earned a First Prize in Lyric Art from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels.
On Stage...
Since 1994, Dominique Corbiau has performed on prestigious stages in Belgium and abroad, collaborating with numerous ensembles and orchestras across an exceptionally diverse repertoire.
Under the direction of Guy Van Waas, Dominique has notably performed the alto solo parts in several of Bach's oratorios, including the St. John Passion, the Magnificat, and the Easter Oratorio.
His diverse operatic and concert roles include Amore in Claudio Monteverdi's "L'incoronazione di Poppea", Apollo in Antonio Caldara's "Dafne", Tebro in George Frideric Handel's serenata "O come chiare e belle", Tirsi in "Lo Scapolo seduto" (a Handel and Vivaldi pasticcio), and Arianna in Joseph Haydn's "Arianna a Naxos" (with the company "As Palavras" and choreographer Claudio Bernardo).
He also performed the Nightingale in an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's tale "The Nightingale and the Emperor of China", staged by Gabriel Alloing and blending theater (with actress Jacqueline Bir), shadow theater (Isabelle Vandermeersch and Alain Delval), and music (composer-pianist Jean Jadin and harpist Ingrid Procureur).
In December 2005, for International Human Rights Day in Brussels, Dominique performed for Amnesty International at the Museums of Ancient and Modern Art, inaugurating an "Amnesty Trail" through famous artworks alongside actress Jacqueline Bir.
From 2006 onward, he participated in the "Nuits Musicales" at the Castles of Beloeil and Seneffe in Belgium.
In February 2007, accompanied on the piano by Jean-Nicolas Diatkine, he performed an excerpt from Vincenzo Bellini's "Beatrice di Tenda" ("Ah! se un'urna") at the Opéra de Paris (Bastille) during the 3rd World Congress Against the Death Penalty, in the presence of Robert Badinter.
In 2008, he collaborated with French composer Cyril Orcel on "Memoria", an album of original pieces released by Universal Music.
He has also been featured in Manuel de Falla's "El amor brujo" alongside Jacqueline Bir at the Solvay Library in Brussels.
In 2010, Dominique took part in the world premiere of Michel Lysight’s "Les Chants de Casanova", a cantata for countertenor, choir, and orchestra. In 2011, he premiered Jean Jadin's "Cantico", a work inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Creatures" and illustrated by projections of works by Jean-Michel Folon.
Also in 2011, Dominique participated in the international tour of "No coração da tempestade", a creation by choreographer Claudio Bernardo for the 26 dancers of the Balé Teatro Castro Alves (Salvador de Bahia, Brazil), programmed as part of Europalia Brazil.
Between 2006 and 2013, Dominique performed at the Ommegang, one of Brussels' oldest historical pageants, becoming the first lyric singer to take part in the event.
During the summer of 2015, he appeared at the Pietrasanta Festival (Tuscany, Italy) with the Moscow Soloists directed by Michael Guttman. In January 2016, he made his debut with the Orchestre de Picardie, conducted by Dutch maestro Arie van Beek, performing Johann Sebastian Bach's cantata BWV 170, "Vergnügte Ruh".
In October 2015, Dominique traveled to Tokyo, Japan, for a series of recitals accompanied by Japanese harpsichordist Sumina Arihashi, returning in October 2016 to perform with harpsichordist Mayako Sone.
In August 2017, he sang the solo role in the world premiere (Szczecin, Poland) of the epic cantata :Odyssea" by film composer Henri Seroka, followed by a recorded release of this same piece blending symphonic and pop music.
In 2018, Dominique was welcomed at Villers Abbey for the inaugural edition of "La Symphonie du Feu" (The Symphony of Fire). Sophie Miny and Pierre D'haenens (Compagnie Showflamme) designed a monumental fire installation across the site, with Dominique curating the musical program. The second edition, themed around the god Vulcan (Vulcano), took place the following year with the same artistic team (Bois-du-Luc, 2019).
In November 2023, alongside renowned Korean soprano Sumi Jo, Dominique participated in visual artist Ligyung’s performance piece "Embrace of Lights". This project bridged Korea and the European Union, offering the public an immersive experience set against the majestic arcades of the Cinquantenaire in Brussels.
Artistic Direction, Writing, Staging, and Performance...
Deeply committed to highlighting the creative dimension of his profession, Dominique Corbiau regularly conceives visually refined shows that typically build bridges between different artistic disciplines. In recent years, he has also ventured into writing, stage direction, and theatrical performance, creating original shows that blend spoken theater and music.
2017/2018: Dominique devised "Les Fruits du Monde", his first musical one-man show based on "Frutti del Mondo", a captivating autobiographical account of the life and travels of Italian castrato Filippo Balatri. The figure of Filippo Balatri also inspired a shorter version titled Le Rossignol du Tsar, focusing on the young castrato's 15-year-old journey to Russia under the reign of Peter the Great.
2018/2019: He created "Les Arcades équivoques", a musical show (accompanied by La Camerata Sferica) dedicated to the fascinating and scandalous Queen Christina of Sweden. It premiered in Paris at the Théâtre de l'Athénée-Louis-Jouvet with Cécile Brune of the "Comédie-Française", and in Brussels at the Centre Culturel d'Auderghem and the W:Halll with Belgian actress Ingrid Heiderscheid.
2021: Channeling the spirit of 18th-century pasticcio operas, Dominique brought together arias by George Frideric Handel for a time-traveling journey titled "La Caccia galante", framed as a power struggle between Diana and Cupid (Musical Evenings of Rixensart Castle).
2022: Dominique created "Il Teatro alla moda", a second one-man show based on the writings of Venetian composer Benedetto Marcello and renowned comedy author Carlo Goldoni. Alternating between singing and narration amid a whirlwind of costumes and virtual sets, the show explores the behind-the-scenes extravaganzas of Venice's opera world in the early 18th century.
2023/2024: In a chamber version, Dominique and philosopher-author Pascale Seys presented "Cassandre ou le chant des ruines" (Cassandra, or the Song of Ruins), based on Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach's dramatic cantata "Cassandra". In this miniature opera, the evocative power of the myth serves as both a mirror to the past and an enduring source of wisdom for our time (Francophonie Week in Istanbul, Musiq3 Festival in Flagey, "Les Rencontres inattendues" Festival in Tournai).
2025/2026: Dominique continues to develop the concept of poetic concerts initiated with Cassandre, presenting two new mythological-themed Baroque programs with La Camerata Sferica: "Les Amours de Pan" and "All'Ombra della Luna" (based on the sleep of Endymion).
Film Music and Commercials...
Dominique Corbiau is also active in film and advertising, lending his voice to numerous soundtracks composed by renowned artists (Nicolas Lens, Victor Kissin, Cyril Orcel). Some of these commercials have won awards at major festivals (Diamond Awards, Cannes Festival).
TV and Radio Columns...
For several seasons, Dominique Corbiau served as a cultural columnist on the Belgian news channel LN24, notably on the program Cause Toujours. He has also contributed as a columnist for RTBF's Musiq3 morning show.
Discography
- 1998: Arias et Concertos du XVIIIème, Dominique Corbiau (countertenor), Tatiana Babut du Marès (recorder), Marc Grauwels (transverse flute), Waterloo Chamber Orchestra (conductor: Ulysse Waterlot).
- 2002: Nyx Hemera, Universal Belgium, Dominique Corbiau (countertenor), Cyril Orcel (music and arrangements).
- 2007: Scarlatti, Spesso Vibra, Dominique Corbiau (countertenor), Jean Jadin (piano and arrangements), Philippe Leblanc (saxophone, clarinet, and flute), Liborio Amico (accordion), Daniel Miranda (guitar), Boris Gaquère (guitar), Pierre Boigelot (double bass), Frédéric Malempré (percussion).
- 2007: Le Rossignol, musical tale after Hans Christian Andersen (Lézards cyniques éditions), Dominique Corbiau (countertenor), Jacqueline Bir (storyteller), Jean Jadin (piano and composition), Ingrid Procureur (harp), Alain Delval (clarinet, saxophone, and flute), Frédéric Malempré (percussion), Isabelle Vandermeersch (illustrations).
- 2007: A History of the Requiem Part I / Johannes Ockeghem - Roland de Lassus, Label Cypres, Laudantes Consort (conductor: Guy Janssens).
- 2008: Memoria, Universal Belgium, Dominique Corbiau (countertenor), Cyril Orcel (music and arrangements).
- 2012: Profano e Sacro, The Music of Alessandro Scarlatti, Avanti Classic, Dominique Corbiau (countertenor), "La Cetra d’Orfeo" (conductor: Michel Keustermans).
- 2014: Credo, Apus Productions, Dominique Corbiau (countertenor), Laurence van Bellingen (soprano), Pomeranian Academy Choir, Kalisz Philharmonic Orchestra (conductor: Ryszard Handke), Henri Seroka (music and production).
- 2015: The Four Seasons, Avanti Classic, Dominique Corbiau (countertenor), Brussels Chamber Orchestra - Roby Lakatos.
- 2018: Odyssea (An Epic Cantata), Apus Productions, Henri Seroka.
- 2023: Vaghi Fiori: The Charms of Baroque Allegory (Baroque Italian cantatas), Sonamusica, Dominique Corbiau (countertenor), La Camerata Sferica.