Ostrowski, Adam, *1873 Warsaw (?), †29 April 1921 Warsaw, Polish singer (bass). He was a member of a well-known acting family – the son of the actress Alojza Żółkowska and the doctor Adam Ostrowski. He was a student of W. Aleksandrowicz, and on 9 June 1898 made his debut at the opera in Warsaw in the role of Ramfis in Verdi’s Aida he did not achieve great success. However, he became a permanent soloist there, and until 1903 he performed among others the part of Skołuba in S. Moniuszko’s Straszny dwór and smaller parts (bass). He then continued his vocal studies abroad (probably in Italy) and performed at opera houses in Bologna (Teatro Comunale), Buenos Aires and Montevideo (1904); during this time his voice evolved into a basso profondo. Ostrowski’s achieved great success as Mephistopheles in Charles Gounod’s Faust in a performance on 17 April 1906 at the Teatr Wielki in Warsaw. From then until his death, he was the leading bass of the opera in Warsaw, turning down offers from foreign theatres. His roles there included the parts of: Leporello in Don Giovanni by Mozart, Superior Balthazar in The Favourite by G. Donizetti, Silva w Ernani by Verdi, King in Hamlet by A. Thomas, King Henry in Lohengrin, Landgrave in Tannhäuser, King Marke in Tristan and Isolde by Wagner, Don Pédro in The African Woman by G. Meyerbeer, and Wizuna in Stara baśń by W. Żeleński (1918). However, he was particularly admired as Cardinal de Brogni in La Juive by F. Halévy, Marcel in Les Huguenots by Meyerbeer, and a wonderful performer of bass parts in Moniuszko’s operas. Ostrowski’s outstanding vocal qualities were matched here by his excellent physical features and outstanding acting talent. From 1914, he was also involved in directing; in 1916, he became the chief director of the opera in Warsaw, and in the 1916/1917 season, together with W. Brzeziński and A. Dobosz, he was its director; he held a similar position during the crisis at the opera in Warsaw in 1919 (with T. Mazurkiewicz and J. Munclinger). He died tragically, committing suicide.
