Author
Ġino was born at Valletta, the son of Ġużè Muscat Azzopardi and ‘Tonina’ Fenech. He studied at Stella Maris College and at the Lyceum. Following his father’s footsteps, he strove to promote the Maltese language with his literary contributions characterized by satire and humour. As a politician within the MLP, and from 1921 onwards, he contributed to the party’s periodicals Labour Opinion, Il-Kotra, Dr Xekkek, and Ix-Xewka. He also represented the MLP in the Legislative Assembly in 1945. He was the director of a commercial company and member of the MPFA, the Chamber of Commerce, the Society for the Blind, and the Broadcasting Authority (1964-67).
His career in the theatre started when he joined the Malta Risolta and then Les Amateurs which he represented in the National Assembly in 1921. In 1922 he joined and became very active with the theatrical company Indipendenza, becoming its artistic director in 1944. Also in 1944 he became a co-director of another drama unit, Ribalta, from which post he resigned in 1956 when he was appointed the first chairman of the committee for the restoration of the Manoel Theatre. In 1948 he was nominated chairman of the National Theatre Commission. He was also a member of the Rediffusion drama panel (1955) and of the Board of Film Censors (1955-1958). In 1976 he was appointed chairman of the Manoel Theatre Committee.
Muscat Azzopardi was a keen supporter of literary societies. He was a member of the Akkademja tal-Malti from its foundation on 14 November 1920, later becoming one of its honorary presidents. He was also an honorary president of the Għaqda Letterarja Maltija. In 1946 he instituted the Ġużè Muscat Azzopardi Gold Medal for the best writer of Maltese.
His works include novels and several dramatic pieces: ‘L-Awwista’, ‘Il-Mera’ (1961), ‘Aqwa mil-Liġi’ (1947), ‘Sibtha l-Mummy Sur Ġakkin’, ‘Dun Mikiel Xerri’ (1949), ‘Okkulto Fonija’ (1951), ‘Liema?’, ‘Huma, L-Aħwa Catania’, and ‘Id-Dawl tal-Qalb’.
Muscat Azzopardi considered the theatre a remarkable means for the education of the masses.
Ġino married Anna Tanti on 27 August 1932.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.