Ossian D'Ambrosio

Ossian D'Ambrosio (born 18 September 1970 as Luigi D'Ambrosio), also known simply as Ossian, is an Italian heavy metal musician, organiser within modern Druidry, artisan jeweler and writer. He is the founder and leader of the Cerchio Druidico Italiano and creator of an annual Beltane festival in Biella. He plays guitar in the symphonic black metal band Opera IX, which he founded in 1988.

Early life Luigi D'Ambrosio was born on 18 September 1970 in Nordhorn, Germany. In 1980, his family moved to Biella, Italy, where he grew up and continues to live. During his adolescence he listened to heavy metal music, where the lyrics of various bands provided his earliest approach to modern paganism.

Druidry Publicly known as Ossian D'Ambrosio, he first approached organised forms of modern paganism through Italian groups focused on witchcraft, but was unable to connect to their forms of spirituality. He got into modern Druidry through Emanuele Pauletti who was involved in the Druidic revivalism in Brittany. Another major influence has been the neoshamanism of Michael Harner and his Foundation for Shamanic Studies.

D'Ambrosio incorporates his interest in paganism in Opera IX's music and symbols. He says the band's dark aesthetic complements his engagement in Druidry and work with the Celtic festival, as he believes men have two archetypes, one dark and one sunny. He sees the band as a way to express his nocturnal side and achieve balance. He was married in 2001. His wife, Maria Feo, is also involved in the northern Italian Druid community, as an organiser of the Beltane festival and other annual events.