Teatru Manoel, in collaboration with Heritage Malta, has unveiled a new exhibition celebrating the remarkable life and career of Maltese opera legend Paul Asciak.

Titled Paul Asciak: Celebrating the Tenor’s Career, the exhibition opens on January 29 and runs until February 28 at Teatru Manoel.

Compact yet captivating, the exhibition is divided into three sections: Asciak’s early life, his celebrated role as Othello, and his enduring legacy.

Born on January 28, 1923, Paul Asciak had a prolific career in Malta and abroad, leaving an indelible mark on the opera world. He performed iconic roles such as Don José in Bizet’s Carmen, Canio in Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci, Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca, Manrico in Verdi’s Il Trovatore, Pollione in Bellini’s Norma, and, most famously, Othello.

The Othello costume that Asciak wore in 1960 Photo: Teatru Manoel

Asciak’s career took him to some of the most prestigious stages. He was a Royal Opera House Covent Garden Company member and even performed with legendary soprano Maria Callas. His voice graced audiences across the globe, and he appeared on platforms such as BBC, ITV, and RAI. Beyond his performing career, Asciak contributed to the arts as the general manager of Teatru Manoel from 1988 to 1992 and mentored Grammy award-winning Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja.

The exhibition’s centrepiece is the costume Asciak wore as Othello, which was restored by a team at Heritage Malta led by Claire Bonavia.

Adorned with striking gold earrings, this costume has been part of Teatru Manoel’s collection since the 1960s.

Curator Jeremy Grech recalled his childhood fascination with the costume: “I would go to the booking office, and there would be this little corner with the Othello costume and big gold earrings of Paul Asciak.” Inspired by this memory, Grech, wearing similar gold earrings, decided it was time to honour the late singer’s legacy. "I thought that it was time it got a little love."

Asciak's makebox and makeup Photo: Teatru Manoel

While Asciak never performed Othello at Teatru Manoel, he played his dream role twice: once in 1960 at Argotti Gardens while the Manoel was undergoing restoration, and again in 1989 in Poland at the age of 66.

The exhibition includes the costume and earrings, as well as Asciak’s makeup box, playbills, posters, photos, and records. Bonavia noted that the shirt still bears stains from Asciak’s performances, where he used makeup to darken his skin for Othello, a practice now viewed as blackface. She remarked, “We didn’t get rid of the stain as it tells a story in and of itself.” The exhibition presents this history without judgment, reflecting a different era in the performing arts.

Visitors will also hear Asciak’s voice fill the exhibition space, bringing his legacy to life. “People like Paul Asciak built and created this industry,” Grech said. “The very least we can do is keep their memory alive.”

The exhibition, which is free of charge, is organised by the National Archives of Malta and Damato Music Shop. It promises to be an enriching experience for opera lovers and history enthusiasts.