X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X – Opera Guide
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X is a bold, groundbreaking opera. It powerfully brings Malcolm X‘s story to the operatic stage.
Pulitzer Prize-winner Anthony Davis composed the music, and Thulani Davis wrote the libretto.
The opera debuted at New York City Opera in 1986, returning in a critically acclaimed 2023 production at the Metropolitan Opera.
Inspired by the civil rights leader Malcolm X, the opera explores key moments in his personal and political journey.
This dynamic work traces Malcolm X’s path: from a troubled youth and rise as a Nation of Islam leader to his transformation into a global voice for justice and human rights.
The music blends jazz, classical, and African traditions, creating a rich soundscape that matches the intensity of Malcolm’s life and message.
This article explores the opera’s creation, narrative, musical style, cultural significance, and enduring relevance.
It offers a comprehensive guide to X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X for both opera enthusiasts and newcomers.
Whether you love opera or are discovering this work for the first time, “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X” offers a powerful look at one of the 20th century’s most influential figures and how his legacy continues to resonate today.
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X – Creators and Setting
The story of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X began in the early 1980s.
Composer Anthony Davis, inspired by Malcolm X’s autobiography, sought to translate his transformative life into opera.
Anthony Davis (b. 1951) is a celebrated jazz pianist, composer, and educator.
“When I composed X,” writes Anthony Davis, “I felt a musical freedom that broke me out of traditional genres and the rigid categories that often divide music into limiting boxes.”
Anthony Davis envisioned a new kind of American opera. He wanted to blend the power of the African diaspora with the structure of European classical tradition.
In this vision, the raw, improvisational energy of the blues would meet the refined, post-tonal language of composers like Berg and Stravinsky.
So, he blends improvisation with diverse musical influences, and is especially known for his operas.
These include Amistad, Wakonda’s Dream, and The Central Park Five, which earned him the Pulitzer Prize in Music.
Nearly forty years later, Davis’s score still pulses with that same urgency and bold spirit.
For X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, Anthony collaborated closely with family.
His brother, Christopher Davis, created the story. Their cousin, Thulani Davis, a poet, journalist, and author, wrote the libretto.
This team crafted a narrative drawn from The Autobiography of Malcolm X, co-authored by Malcolm X and Alex Haley.
The opera unfolds through 12 vivid scenes from Malcolm X’s life, tracing his journey from childhood to his assassination.
It begins in Depression-era Lansing, Michigan, moves through his teenage years in Boston, and follows him all the way to Mecca for his life-changing pilgrimage.
Key moments also take place in New York City—in Harlem’s streets, a local mosque, and finally the Audubon Ballroom on Broadway and West 165th Street, where he was assassinated in 1965.
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X – Performance History
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X began its journey in 1984 at the American Music Theater Festival (AMTF) in Philadelphia.
There, a workshop showcased Act I, performed by Davis’s ten-piece ensemble, Episteme.
The piece immediately sparked conversation: some critics dismissed it as political propaganda, while others praised its originality and impact. Despite the buzz, it struggled for lasting recognition.
1985 -1986
The opera’s first full version was workshopped at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia. Later that year, on October 9, 1985, the complete opera received its full production premiere at AMTF.
Commissioned by the New York City Opera (NYCO), the opera premiered on October 11, 1986, directed by Rhoda Levine, with Ben Holt as Malcolm. The opera then made its New York debut on September 28, 1986, at NYCO.
In this production, Davis’s Episteme ensemble performed as an improvisational group within the orchestra.
Performances sold out, despite mixed critical reviews.
The New York Times noted that Davis and his collaborators focused more on words and ideology than traditional operatic vocalism.
Although NYCO’s staging technically occurred later, it was officially labeled the “world premiere” based on an agreement between NYCO’s then-artistic director Beverly Sills and AMTF’s Eric Salzman and Marjorie Samoff.
Despite these initial mixed reviews, the work’s bold musical language and unflinching portrayal of racial injustice laid the groundwork for its lasting impact.
2006-2010
The opera returned to the stage on June 6, 2006, when the Oakland Opera Theater performed it.
Tucked away in a loft, the outstanding orchestra—led by music director Deirdre McClure with support from Skye Atman—delivered a masterful performance across a wide range of musical styles.
Subtle jazz elements wove through the score, just as the composer intended, echoing the unfolding story.
The ensemble shined, with standout contributions from the trumpet, vibraphone, bass, drums, reeds, and keyboards adding texture and depth to the soundscape.
New York City Opera presented an abridged concert version at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture on May 12, 2010.
2022–2024
A bold new production, directed by Robert O’Hara and starring Davóne Tines, premiered at Detroit Opera in 2022.
In 2023, the Metropolitan Opera staged a revised version of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, again directed by Robert O’Hara, with baritone Will Liverman in the title role.
This production, which ran from November to December 2023, was lauded for its contemporary resonance.
The 2023 Metropolitan Opera production, conducted by Kazem Abdullah, was a standout success—both critically and commercially.
Performances sold out and earned multiple standing ovations.
Critics praised Will Liverman’s electrifying performance as Malcolm X and Robert O’Hara’s inventive staging, which used bold visuals and movement to bring 1960s America to life.
The production reached a global audience through Met Live in HD, streaming live to over 70 countries.
This expanded the opera’s influence far beyond the opera house and cemented its place in the modern repertoire.
Seattle Opera then staged it in February 2024, marking a major revival of this groundbreaking work.
The opera’s journey from a niche work to a Met staple underscores its significance as a cultural milestone.
Roles: Main Characters and Voice Types
Step into the powerful narrative of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X by getting to know its pivotal characters.
Each figure, from Malcolm X himself to the family and mentors who shaped his extraordinary journey, brings a vital perspective to this compelling story.
In this section, you’ll discover the main characters and their voice types that bring this legacy opera to vivid life on the operatic stage.
Malcolm (Baritone)
Who he is Malcolm:
The opera’s heart: a minister and human rights activist.
Malcolm’s Journey:
Malcolm grew up immersed in Black nationalist ideals, influenced by Marcus Garvey.
But his childhood was unstable: white supremacists burned down his family home, his father was killed, and his mother was institutionalized.
After foster care, Malcolm landed in a Massachusetts prison.
There, he discovered Islam, which became the foundation for his two decades of work as a minister and civil rights leader.
Elijah (Tenor)
Who he Elijah: The Nation of Islam leader and Malcolm’s mentor.
Elijah’s Journey:
Elijah Muhammad powerfully and charismatically led the Nation of Islam, a Black nationalist religious movement.
He took Malcolm under his wing, recognizing his potential as a powerful voice for the cause.
However, as Malcolm grew more independent and gained national attention, their relationship fractured.
Elijah felt betrayed, and the tension between them sparked major conflict within the Nation.
Betty (Soprano)
Who is Betty: Malcolm’s wife and mother of their six daughters.
Betty’s Role:
Betty stood by Malcolm through his journey’s highs and lows, offering steady support during his doubts and pain.
After Malcolm broke from the Nation of Islam, Betty encouraged his pilgrimage to Mecca—a crucial turning point in his spiritual and political transformation.
Ella (Mezzo-Soprano)
Who is Ella: Malcolm’s older half-sister.
Ella’s Role:
After their mother’s institutionalization, Ella took teenage Malcolm into her home in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood.
That move changed everything.
Through Ella, Malcolm discovered the vibrancy and complexity of Black urban life—a world far different from his upbringing.
Reginald (Bass-Baritone)
Who is Reginald: Malcolm’s younger brother and closest companion.
Reginald’s Role:
Reginald played a pivotal role in Malcolm’s awakening. During a prison visit, he introduced Malcolm to the Nation of Islam and its teachings.
That moment sparked a transformation that shaped the rest of Malcolm’s life.
Louise (Soprano)
Who is Louise: Malcolm’s mother.
Louise’s Journey:
Born in Grenada, Louise deeply involved herself in the Marcus Garvey movement alongside her husband, Earl.
She was proud, strong, and purposeful. But after Earl’s tragic death—which she eerily predicted—Louise suffered a mental breakdown.
She was hospitalized and remained in psychiatric care for over 20 years, leaving a lasting impact on young Malcolm.
Street (Tenor)
Who is Street: Malcolm’s streetwise mentor in Boston.
Street ‘s Role:
Street met Malcolm in a Boston pool hall and quickly saw himself in the naive newcomer.
He took Malcolm under his wing, teaching him how to dress, carry himself, and navigate city life.
However, he also led Malcolm into petty crime and fast living, setting him on a dangerous path before Malcolm found redemption.
Young Malcolm Little (Boy Soprano)
Who he is: The younger version of Malcolm X.
Young Malcolm’s Role: Young Malcolm represents the early, formative years of Malcolm X’s life.
As a child, he experiences deep trauma, from his father’s death to his mother’s institutionalization.
These painful events shape his worldview and set the stage for the powerful transformation he undergoes later in life.
His character captures the innocence, confusion, and emotional weight of a boy forced to grow up too soon.
Synopsis: X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X unfolds in three acts, tracing Malcolm X’s life through its key phases: his troubled youth, his Nation of Islam (NOI) years, and his final transformation into a global human rights advocate.
The opera’s structure mirrors his evolution, blending personal struggles with broader themes of systemic racism and self-discovery.
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X – Act I
The opera opens in 1930s Lansing, Michigan, where racial violence shapes Malcolm Little’s childhood.
Inside the Little family home, local Marcus Garvey chapter members gather for a meeting.
Reverend Earl Little is late, and his wife, Louise, is on edge. Tensions run high—white supremacist groups have been terrorizing the community, and Louise cannot shake memories of past attacks.
A knock at the door breaks the tension. A police officer arrives with devastating news: Reverend Little has died in a streetcar accident.
But the community suspects more to the story. As the news settles, Louise withdraws, singing softly and becoming emotionally unreachable.
Time passes. A social worker visits and declares the Little children wards of the state.
Malcolm tries to connect with his mother, but she no longer responds to him.
She is soon hospitalized. His older half-sister, Ella, comes to take Malcolm to live with her in Boston.
By the early 1940s, Malcolm is in Boston—still a wide-eyed country boy.
Ella introduces him to her world: middle-class Black Boston and its vibrant nightlife.
Through music and a streetwise guide named Street, Malcolm finds his way into the city’s after-hours scene.
But that path leads to trouble. He gets caught robbing a wealthy home and is arrested.
In the interrogation room, Malcolm reveals the anger and frustration that has been building inside him for years.
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X – Act II
It’s now 1946. Malcolm sits in prison, lost in thought. His brother Reginald visits and tells him about Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam.
Reginald believes his teachings could change Malcolm’s life. Curious and hungry for meaning, Malcolm dives into reading.
He studies, learns, and starts to believe. Slowly, Malcolm X is born.
As Malcolm’s faith grows, the prison walls seem to fade. He envisions Elijah Muhammad speaking to him.
When they finally meet, Elijah embraces Malcolm like a son. He tells him there is much to learn, but also much to do.
Elijah sends Malcolm to spread the word, and Malcolm proves to be a powerful speaker.
From 1954 to 1963, Malcolm travels from city to city—Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, New York—establishing new temples and gaining followers.
He speaks on Harlem Street corners, drawing larger, more passionate crowds.
He questions the peaceful civil rights approach in the South and carves out his own political stance.
Malcolm leads his followers in declaring, “We are a nation.”
But after President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Malcolm’s public comments lack the sensitivity expected during a time of national mourning. Elijah Muhammad is furious.
Back at home, Malcolm and his wife Betty talk quietly about what lies ahead. They hope their children will grow up free from fear.
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X – Act III
Elijah Muhammad summons Malcolm. He is concerned—not just about Malcolm’s controversial remarks, but also about how powerful he has become.
As Malcolm walks into the meeting, other Nation of Islam members whisper and glare.
The movement is splitting into rival factions. Elijah suspends Malcolm from speaking for three months. Out of loyalty, Malcolm agrees.
During the silence, Malcolm struggles. He is exhausted by the infighting, the media, and the pressure.
Betty gives him a plane ticket and urges him to go to Mecca, alone, to find peace.
Malcolm agrees. He puts his trust in Allah and begins a new journey.
In Mecca, dressed in simple white cloth, Malcolm waits to see if he will be accepted as a Muslim convert.
He hears the call to prayer and watches others move through the rituals, new to him, but full of meaning.
He joins in. Slowly, he realizes something bigger: a vision of unity not based on race or ideology, but on shared faith and humanity.
In 1964, as Malcolm prepares to return home, riots erupt in Harlem.
He returns changed, spiritually awakened, but still determined. When reporters confront him about the unrest, he remains calm.
He soon founds a new group: the Organization of Afro-American Unity.
In a powerful speech, he shares what he learned in Africa—that their struggle is part of a global fight against racism and colonialism.
He is warned about death threats but refuses to live in fear.
Then comes the day at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. Malcolm greets the audience warmly, prepared to speak once again.
But before he can begin, assassins shoot and kill him on stage.
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X: Musical Style and Innovation
The music of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X is a true tour de force, blending jazz, African rhythms, and modernist classical techniques.
Anthony Davis, a jazz pianist and composer, infuses the score with syncopated rhythms, improvisational elements, and complex harmonies, all reflecting Malcolm’s dynamic life.
The orchestra, often featuring instruments like the saxophone and percussion, vividly evokes the energy of Harlem’s streets and the spiritual depth of Islamic prayer.
Key musical moments include:
· “You Are Not Empty”: A powerful prison aria where Malcolm’s brother Reginald introduces him to the Nation of Islam. This piece blends gospel and jazz, signifying his spiritual awakening.
· Mecca Sequence: Act III’s pilgrimage scene uses Middle Eastern scales and rich choral textures to depict Malcolm’s transformation. This is a true highlight of the opera.
· Assassination Scene: Dissonant, fragmented motifs underscore the tragedy, sharply contrasting with the opera’s earlier vibrancy.
The libretto, rich with poetic imagery, draws directly from Malcolm’s speeches.
It perfectly balances historical accuracy with deep emotional resonance.
But when the music soars, especially in the jazzy, expressive solos and the vivid orchestral passages shaped by Davis’s classical influences, the result is powerful and deeply affecting.
This fusion of styles makes X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X a unique operatic experience, both accessible and profound.
Nearly forty years later, Davis’s score still pulses with that same urgency and bold spirit.
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X: Cultural and Historical Significance
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X made history as one of the first major operas to center a Black historical figure and directly confront racial injustice.
Premiering during the Reagan era, it challenged opera’s long-standing Eurocentric traditions.
It placed Black voices, stories, and music at the heart of a traditionally white art form. The opera broke boundaries—not just musically, but socially.
Its 2023 revival at the Metropolitan Opera pushed that vision further.
With a diverse cast and creative team, the production brought renewed focus to urgent issues like police brutality and systemic racism, echoes of the very struggles Malcolm X fought.
For modern audiences, especially in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, the opera’s message feels as timely as ever.
The story of Malcolm X, his search for identity, faith, and transformation, speaks to deeply human experiences.
It explores personal and political awakening in a way that resonates today.
The opera also connects with current conversations around intersectionality and global solidarity, reflecting Malcolm’s shift from nationalism to a broader view of justice.
Social media buzzed with praise after the Met’s revival, with many calling it “a must-see for anyone seeking truth and inspiration.”
Final Note
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X is more than an opera, it’s a celebration of a man who transformed himself and the world around him.
Through its innovative music, gripping narrative, and bold themes, it brings Malcolm X’s story to life with unparalleled emotional depth. It’s a powerful artistic statement that continues to speak to our times.
Earlier versions, like the 1986 premiere and the 1992 revival with Chicago Opera Theater, faced challenges.
The opera’s complex score and politically charged subject matter made it difficult to stage and even harder to categorize.
But the 2023 version, with its refined musical pacing and modern staging, was widely celebrated; The New York Times called it “a triumph.”
For anyone discovering X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X for the first time, the Met’s 2023 production offers the perfect starting point.
You can access the production through recordings and future revivals. Also, reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X provides deeper context.
This opera is a call to reflect, learn, and act—a timeless tribute to a legacy that continues to inspire.
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