Cezar Doda, bass-baritone
Performed in front of the international audiences since he was eighteen years old. First in his native Poland as a violinist with a touring operetta company.
His first solos enriched performances of many Polish operetta stars. Among those – popular tenor Mieczyslaw Wojnicki .
Surrounded with classically trained voices Cezary fell in love with opera.
His preparations for the classical voice department at the Warsaw Academy of Music began with vocal training and acting classes under guidance of Edward Pawlak – National Opera bass and Janina Godlewska-Bogucka – actress known for her numerous performances and heroic effort to save lives during WW II (Janina is one of the characters in the Oscar awarded movie “The Pianist”). Some acting advice was also provided to Cezary by the movie star of the 80’s Tomasz Stockinger.
At the Academy, he studied with great Polish soprano, Alina Bolechowska, also teacher to international opera star Ewa Podleś.
After graduating, Cezary immigrated to the United States and started performing as Cezar Doda with Brandenburg Opera, Liederkranz Opera, New York Chamber Opera, Di Capo Opera and the touring National Lyric Opera. He played major and comprimario parts in many operatic performances and some musicals. It was Prince Gremin in “Eugene Onegin”(Tchaikovsky), Mr.Ford in “Merry Wives of Windsor”(Nicolai), Captain Archer in “The King of the Vagabonds” (Frieml), King of Scotland in “Ariodante” (Handel), Angelotti in “Tosca” (Puccini), Sparafucile in “Rigoletto” (Verdi) and many others.
Cezar’s love for classical music didn’t limit his singing to the operatic repertoire. He took part in numerous art song and oratorio concerts, some to become historical events.
Invited to present Fryderyk Chopin, known to the world as one of the greatest piano composers, this time as an art song creator, Cezar performed some of the Chopin songs first time in history of the Carnegie Hall. It was one of his three performances at the famous “Temple of Music”. Each time it was different stage: Weil Recital Hall was first, then came the Stern Auditorium and Zankel Hall.
“To be able to tell the world that the greatest Polish piano composer also created vocal pieces…and to make those songs be heard from the greatest concert stage in America is certainly one of my greatest achievements” – Cezar shared with “Polonia” press right after the concert.
Another first-time-in-history-event was a patriotic manifestation of Polish culture also in New York City. In 1999 St. Patrick Cathedral decided to have first mass ever…in Polish. The number of spectators exceeded expectations. Fifth Avenue had to be partially closed, traffic was re-directed. Cezar was one of the few soloists (some came from Poland) invited to perform oratorio and medieval liturgy music in Polish.
As a finalist of Marcella Sembrich Competition and grantee of the Kosciuszko Foundation, Cezar Doda performed many times for this famous “American Center of Polish Culture”. One of the most memorable events took place at the Great Ballroom of Waldorf-Astoria, where Martha Eggerth-Kiepura and Lee Radziwill were among the honorary guests.
Cezar Doda also organized and produced many charity concerts. He took part in charity events organized by the others as well. To re-built “Teatr Polski” in Wrocław, Poland, to help Polish flood victims, to support handicapped children. Before he announced his early “vocal retirement” in 2010, Cezar organized an event for American Cancer Society.
Cezar Doda, voice of radio & television
Before graduating from Warsaw Academy of Music as a classical singer Cezary became “go-to” voiceover for the Sound Engineering Department of his Alma Mater.
“Kronika Filmowa” (Film Reel) used by the students to practice their future craft needed at least one of the original soundtracks to be replaced. Cezary’s voice proved to be perfect for the task. Many of the future sound engineers successfully applied his bass-baritone to their projects.
When the Berlin Wall went down and the old system came to be replaced by the new one, future opera singer took part in creating first radio commercials for the independent radio stations. Although very few listeners knew the names of the first “commercial voices”, audiences throughout the country welcomed free markets and new ways to advertise products and services.
First recording sessions not affiliated with the old regime were produced in makeshift studios. Young to-be-sound-engineers were borrowing equipment from their universities or from their friends who were fortunate to have contacts with the West. Professional level microphones were almost impossible to be acquired and needed to be carefully guarded. Due to lack of proper equipment, to create sound-proofing, first free-world recording studios had egg-trays glued to the walls. Many sessions took place in such conditions. Cezary was one the pioneers in this brave new world.
While his singing voice was recorded to be used in theatrical performances and happenings, his speaking voice was hired to advertise first independently owned radio stations such as Radio Zet, also known as Zetka. The first commercial spot advertising Radio Zet itself used voice of Cezary Doda as the announcer.
In 1991 Cezary emigrated to the United States. Polonia radio and tv stations in New York and Chicago aired first commercials with his voice. LOT Polish Airlines, FinAir, telephone companies and telecommunication giants like AT&T, also banks like Polish Slavic Federal Credit Union acquired services of his low-timbre baritone in their radio and tv spots. New York based YAR Communications and Young and Rubicam advertisement agencies became his clients.
Invited by SAG/AFTRA, Cezary recorded Polish language version of “Census 2000” spot aired in New York, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and other areas with Polish speaking audience.
His voice and stage experience proved to be useful in another role. The role of MC. Cezary Doda presented numerous Polish performances visiting New York with major tv stars. Piotr Fronczewski and Magdalena Zawadzka were among them. He also worked with Elżbieta Czyżewska, Grzegorz Heromiński and other Polish actors who lived, or still live in the United States.
Cezary resides in Kew Gardens NY. His skills and experience in the field of advertisement became vital for his new enterprises. As a licensed Real Estate Broker he uses his voice to advertise properties he is hired to sell.