Zdzisław Soszka

He started to sing professionally at age 15 in a Folk Song and Dance Ensemble of the Polish army in Lublin. Later, he studied music in Warsaw, and worked both as a voice teacher and a tenor, making his debut at the Teatr Wielki on December 27th, 1995. At the Wielki, his biggest roles were Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, and Pedrillo; other than that, he sang really small parts, like the Second Peasant in Pagliacci, Borsa, Ruiz, Khrushchov in Boris Godunov, Amelia's Servant in Ballo in maschera, and Don Curzio. He stayed at the Wielki until 1979.

After that, he was hired by conductor Uwe Mund for guest appearances in East Germany, which "marked the beginning of Zdzisław Soszka's European career", as the liner notes of one of his two CDs put it: "He sang in many star-studded productions in prestigious opera houses." No details, though, as to where and when; just that he sang Alfredo to Anna Moffo's Violetta (late in Moffo's career, if after 1979), and in Tosca alongside Plácido Domingo (which inevitably means that Soszka sang Spoletta), and that he worked with Georg Solti (again, no whereabouts). I'm unable to find any proof for any of those appearances. The CD liner notes go on quoting some roles he sang: Edgardo, Pinkerton, Almaviva and Canio. Difficult to imagine if you listen to Soszka, but after all, they don't mention which venues allowed him to sing those lead roles... and those same CD liner notes quote him as singing two De Curtis songs "Tutte per te, Maria" (actually "Sei tu, Maria") and "Non te scordardiete" (it turns out to be "Non ti scordar di me"), and an aria from a hitherto unknown Verdi opera "Mackbeth". The singer himself has a quite creative way with Italian, too!

Reference 1: Muza CD liner notes, reference 2: Teatr Wielki archives

Igor Milner has provided the recordings and a scan of the CD liner notes (with Soszka's picture): thank you!