Opera Singer ?

[medpat]

There's the Pearl Fishers as a possible, Mozart and Rossini wrote operas with Turkish settings and  Lakmé is set in India.

Look at the chin and Caruso's a possible.

[IgorStrav]

Not sure about that, looks like an Indian person to me. The headwear seems quite distinctive.

Or in costume?  If an opera singer, this could be a representation of a character in an opera.  Aida?

Not sure why someone would be depicted in Indian dress for an opera set in ancient Egypt . I think the person looks more genuinely Indian than a performer made up.

You're quite right Melba - I added a Turkish character (Mozart Il Seraglio) to the options, but that was before I saw your post re the Indian Turban design.

I was just going by the Opera Singer description and trying to think of appropriate scenarios.  Forgive me for the Aida ref which is of course Egyptian.  Can't think of any Indian characters in operas at present, so perhaps the chap is Indian himself.  Very exotic moustache 

[IgorStrav]

But Caruso died in 1921, aged 48 and wasn't quite so slender as this image.....

[melba_schmelba]

Not sure about that, looks like an Indian person to me. The headwear seems quite distinctive.

Or in costume?  If an opera singer, this could be a representation of a character in an opera.  Aida?

Not sure why someone would be depicted in Indian dress for an opera set in ancient Egypt . I think the person looks more genuinely Indian than a performer made up.

You're quite right Melba - I added a Turkish character (Mozart Il Seraglio) to the options, but that was before I saw your post re the Indian Turban design.

I was just going by the Opera Singer description and trying to think of appropriate scenarios.  Forgive me for the Aida ref which is of course Egyptian.  Can't think of any Indian characters in operas at present, so perhaps the chap is Indian himself.  Very exotic moustache 

It appears it may have been more common in the areas of British India that are now in Pakistan -

https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports-and-everyday-life/fashion-and-clothing/clothing-jewelry-and-personal-adornment/turbans

"In most parts of India turbans are worn wrapped directly around the bare head of the wearer. However, in modern-day Pakistan and especially the areas near Iran, Afghanistan, and central Asia, turbans are wrapped over the top of a soft cap called a topi or a rigid cap covered with embroidery called a kulah…"

[mckha489]

I tried a reverse image search, but nothing came up

[IgorStrav]

Btw, it's a drawing not a photo, isn't it?

[melba_schmelba]

Btw, it's a drawing not a photo, isn't it?

The OP says it was a painting, but started out by saying photo , watercolours I think. It appears the khulla or kulah may simply be a Muslim thing, as various Ottoman Sultans seems to be wearing something resembling it. So perhaps it could be from Il Seraglio, or Rossini's Il Turco in Italia. I can't find any mention of Caruso performing in those operas however.

[IgorStrav]

And Caruso died aged 48 in 1921, about 8 years before OP believes this image was created.

And at 48 he didn’t look like this handsome youth.

[mazi]

Opera singer could also refer to someone who sang in one of the many operettas that were popular in the 1920s, possibly more likely to appeal to a teenager than formal opera.

Mike