Muscat Azzopardi, Ivo (18.12.1893-13.12.1965)Author The son of Guze Muscat Azzopardi, Muscat Azzopardi was born at Valletta and studied at Savona College, the Lyceum, and the UM. He qualified as a legal procurator and worked with Professor Degiorgio and Count Alfredo Garuana Gatto, a well-known criminologist. In 1919 Muscat Azzopardi was elected to the National Assembly that eventually saw Malta attain self-government. He co-founded the theatrical company Les Amateurs in which he was quite active. In 1919, however, he emigrated to Alexandria where he was appointed head of the department of statistics with Shell Company of Egypt. He also worked for a while as legal practitioner. He became secretary to the British air raid precautions (Maltese section) during World War II. He was secretary or president of various associations for the Maltese in Alexandria and also founded a society to promote Maltese reading. He was a correspondent of the Ghaqda tal-Kittieba tal-Malti (later Akkademja tal-Malti), II-Berqa, The Maltese Journal of New York, Melita of Susa, and Qari Malti of Port Said. He was the first to broadcast in Maltese from the Egyptian State Broadcasting. Muscat Azzopardi returned to Malta in 1946 and continued his work in drama and to promote the Maltese language. He co-founded the dramatic company Maleth and was elected president of the Malta Drama League and council member of the Akkademja tal-Malti. He was often asked to judge literary and dramatic competitions. He also wrote poetry in Maltese, English, and Italian, some of which were translated into French by Laurent Ropa. For such an active life he was knighted by the Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem. Muscat Azzopardi's published works include, Novels: Triq id-Dejqa (1938), Min Iduq Ilmet in-Nil (1946) - translated into English by Arthur Charles as Who Drinks Nile Water, (1961), II-Ghibien tal-Kommendatur Filomeni jew id-Ditekitiv Malti Bendu Muscat (1961); short stories - Minn Xtut in-Nil (1937); biographies: Francesco Azzoppardi (1949), Icilio Calleja (1952), Nicolo' Isouard (1959), Ir-Re George V (1936), and Fernand C,regh (1952); Plays: II-Hames Wiehed (1944), Tiflcira (1944), Nases (1945), Rwiefen. (1946), and Il-Garra Nkisret (1952); Censt Barbara (1953); Meta I-Qalb Titbenna, D Faust in Frack, La Modelia; radio-plays: Alib (1954), Is-Safra (1955), Ir-Rebba (1955), an( Milied taht il-Francizi (1955). He adapted many other plays by foreign playwrights Source: Maltese Biographies of the Twentieth Century (1997), editors Michael J. Schiavone and Louis J. Scerri
  
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