X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X

X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X is an opera with music by Anthony Davis and libretto by Thulani Davis, to a story by Christopher Davis. It is based on the life of the civil rights leader Malcolm X.

Performance history

The opera premiered in a full production at the American Music Theater Festival (AMTF) in Philadelphia on October 9, 1985, and was subsequently revised and expanded for a production at the New York City Opera (NYCO) on September 28, 1986. The latter was listed as the world premiere in accordance with an agreement made between then-NYCO artistic director Beverly Sills, and AMTF directors Eric Salzman and Marjorie Samoff.^[1][2][3] The Oakland Opera Theater performed the work in June 2006.^[4] New York City Opera presented an abridged concert version on May 12, 2010, at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. A new production directed by Robert O'Hara and starring Davóne Tines premiered at Detroit Opera in 2022;^[5][6] this production was later performed at New York's Metropolitan Opera in November/December 2023^[7][8][9] and Seattle Opera in February 2024.^[10]

Roles

• Malcolm (baritone)
• Elijah, leader of the Nation of Islam / Street, Malcolm's mentor (high tenor)
• Louise, Malcolm's mother / Betty, Malcolm's wife (soprano)
• Ella, Malcolm's half-sister (mezzo-soprano)
• Reginald, Malcolm's brother (bass-baritone)
• Young Malcolm Little (boy soprano)

Recordings

• Gramavision: Orchestra of St. Luke's, William Henry Curry, conductor (recorded in 1989, issued in 1992)