Stolpe, Alojzy (st.)
Stolpe Alojzy the younger, *22 (not 29) November 1818 Warsaw, †1 (2?) December 1876, Polish singer (bass) and actor, probably of Swedish origin, son of Alojzy the Elder. From 15 October 1832, he was a chorister at the National Theater in Warsaw, from February 1837, he studied music at the Singing School at the Grand Theatre with J. Stefani and K. Kurpiński and acting with B. Kudlicz. He made his debut on 17 June 1837 in G. Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri, then sang in G. Donizetti’s L’elisir d’Amore. In 1843, he performed in the theatre in Lviv and later in Warsaw, among others, in the opera Alessandro Stradella by F. von Flotow (1846), in Mozart’s Don Giovanni (Leporello, 1848 and 1858), in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville (Bartolo); in the world premiere of Moniuszko’s Paria (11 December 1869), he sang the role of the archpriest Akebar. In later years, due to the deteriorating condition of his voice, he appeared more often as an actor in character comedy roles (including 1872 in Maria Stuart by F. Schiller with H. Modrzejewska). In 1866, he was a director of the drama stage in Warsaw for a short time. He retired in 1871; he last appeared in a dramatic role on 15 November 1876. Alojzy Stolpe the younger had good stage conditions and a “beautiful and strong” voice, but he went down in theatre history as an actor rather than a singer.