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The Monegasque baritone, Halidou Nombre (Dudu Number), began his professional life as an aerospace engineer before making a first career shift into finance (February 2016-2022). Alongside his academic path, his first steps on stage were in the world of musical theatre. Discovered by a modeling agency, he also ventured into fashion, walking for designers and appearing in television fashion shows (Fashion TV). Interested in dance, he joined the contemporary dance company at the Sorbonne during his higher education. His constant desire to refine his voice naturally led him to the operatic repertoire, which became a pivotal revelation for him.
Halidou Nombre began his training in Saint-Ouen with Frédérique Epin, before honing his skills with Pierre Catala and Guillemette Laurens in Paris. Graduating in musical studies from the Paris Regional Conservatory (CRR) with diploma in Musical Studies, he joined the concert artist program in 2018 in Elsa Maurus's class, earning his degree in 2020. During master-classes, he had the opportunity to work with artists such as Stéphane Degout, Jean-Philippe Lafont, and Thomas Hampson. He notably stood out for his in-depth work on the roles of Don Giovanni and the Count in W.A. Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, under the direction of maestro Ruggero Raimondi.
In September 2020, Halidou Nombre was selected as an artist-in-residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel (September 2020-June 2023). This period allowed him to collaborate with resident masters José Van Dam and Sophie Koch. In 2021, he became a laureate of the Orsay-Royaumont Academy and joined the Opera Fuoco lyric workshop, directed by David Stern. He also participated in the "Opéra de ci de là" program of the Aix-en-Provence Festival Academy. That same year, he distinguished himself by winning the Haydn Prize at the 27th Clermont Auvergne Opera International Singing Competition. A year later, he received the Menda Scholarship from the Opéra Comique in Paris. The 2024-2025 season marks his debut as a member of the Royal Opera of Versailles Academy.
A true stage enthusiast, Halidou Nombre, a baritone with a powerful voice and a dark timbre, has shone in numerous roles since his debut, both in opera and early music. He has also ventured into lieder and mélodie under the direction of Jean-Marc Pont Marchesi, with whom he performs in recital. He has also tried his hand at stage direction, notably with a production of Dido and Aeneas at the Hôtel Gouthière in Paris. Contemporary music is also part of his repertoire. He created the opera Jungle in Bordeaux (2019), Babel in Nice (2020), Xynthia in Reims (2022), and played Kaino in Friday of Light by Stockhausen at the Lille Opera. In 2025, he will feature in a new creation by Alexis Soriano titled Malcolm X, which will be performed in Málaga, Spain.
Among the highlights of previous seasons, notable roles include Marcello in Puccini's La Bohème, for which he was voted the best artist of the production by the audience. In W.A. Mozart's works, he has played the Count in Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni in the eponymous opera, and Don Alfonso in Cosi Fan Tutte. He also portrayed Escamillo in Georges Bizet's Carmen, Golaud in Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande, Mercutio in Charles Gounod's Romeo and Juliet, and the Marquis de la Force in Francis Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites.
As a member of the Royal Opera of Versailles Academy for a new season (since October 2023), he will be seen this year as Aeneas opposite Sonya Yoncheva, as the baritone soloist in George Frideric Handel's Messiah, and as Morales in Carmen (where he will also understudy Escamillo). After a stint at the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam, he is featured in the show Aria, which promotes new opera talents and is broadcast on the leading Dutch channel NP01. He currently lives in Paris, France. |
