Overview
Synopsis
The story of Malcolm X is an important one in the political and social history of American. He was a man who, after living through the effects of white supremacy, institutionalised racism, and social prejudice, had found an identity through faith. His conversion to Islam can with a new belief in the power of the black nation to rise up and take back the lives that they had lost under the hands of the slave owners, and their descendants. Partly through his own politically targeted religious sermons, and partly through the exaggeration of the media, Malcolm X became an icon for the Islamic overthrow of America, and was believed to be the instigator for religious violence in Harlem in the 1960s.
Anthony Davis’s opera X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X presents the biography of Malcolm Little, from a balanced perspective. It follows the key events in Malcolm’s life as his father is murdered by white supremacists, is separated from his family by social workers, is brought up in Boston and falls into a life of drugs and crime, and ends up in prison, where he seeks solace in the message of the Quran, and the promise of an African god: Allah.
On leaving prison, he continues his religious life and his teaching, and takes the name Malcolm X, with an X to represent the African name that was taken from him. His words of violence and retaliation appeal to his followers, but when Malcolm makes the Hajj to Mecca, he realises that the message of Islam is one of peace. There he takes the name El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, and returns home to face a world of violence, which finally ends with his assassination in 1965.
Show Information
- Music
- Anthony Davis
- Libretto
- Thulani Davis
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- by Christopher Davis
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1986
- Genres
- Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- 1925-1965, Harlem, New York, Michigan, Boston, Mecca
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- The Music Sales Group
- Ideal For
- Diverse Cast, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Child, Late Teen Characters, Large Cast
Context
Although there is something of a trend for contemporary opera composers to write biopic operas, such as Philip Glass’s Trilogy including Akhnaten, Satyagraha and Einstein on the Beach, Anthony Davis’s X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X took on the challenge of dealing with an entire biography. Key moments that shaped and changed Malcolm Little’s life are presented as a series of vignettes, where time is fluid and years pass in moments, enabling the whole story to exist in an opera that
to read the context for X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Scene 1 - Lancing, Michigan, 1931
The members of The Universal Negro Improvement Association are waiting for Reverend Earl Little to return home and begin the meeting (‘Africa for Africans’). It is unlike him to be late, and is a cause for concern. Mrs Little knows the danger that black people face every day, and fears that her husband has been killed on his way home by some extremist group, like the Klan ([Louise’s Aria: ‘Earl should have been home by
to read the plot for X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Garvey Preacher / Father / Player / Inmate / Orator / Muslim |
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
Featured |
Male |
Treble/Boy Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Blind Man / Salesman / Player / Inmate / Numbers Runner / Muslim / Pilgrim (1-2) |
Ensemble |
Male |
Bass |
|
Neighbor / Preacher / Player / Inmate / Youth / Muslim / Pilgrim |
Ensemble |
Male |
Baritone |
|
Neighbor / Laborer / Player / Inmate / Boyfriend / Muslim / Pilgrim (2) |
Ensemble |
Male |
Baritone |
|
Neighbor / Bootblack / Laborer/ Player / Inmate / Paper Peddler / Muslim / Pilgrim (2) |
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor |
|
Neighbor / Businesswoman / Beautician / Queen Mother / Mother / Muslim / Pilgrim (2-3) |
Ensemble |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer, Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer, Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer, Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
|
Female |
Soprano |
Songs
Overture
Act One
Scene 1
- ‘Africa for Africans’ - Louise, Young Malcolm, Young Reginald, Postman, Garvey Preacher, Neighbors,
- Louise’s Aria: ‘Earl should have been home by sunset’ - Louise, Neighbors
- ‘A man was on the tracks’ - Policemen, Friend, Neighbors, Louise
- ‘What’s going on here’ - Social Worker, Neighbors
- Young Malcolm’s Aria: ‘Momma, help me’ - Young Malcolm Little
Scene 2
- Ella’s Aria: ‘Come with me child’ - Ella, Malcolm, Bootblack, Clothes Salesman
- ‘The Hustler gets them all’ - Street, Ella, Malcolm, Players, Dope Fiend, the Blonde, Dancers
- ‘A white man’s home isn’t safe anymore’ - Policemen, Street, Ella, Malcolm, Players, the Blonde, Dancers
Scene 3
Act Two
Scene 1
- ‘It has been so long / Living graves’ - Reginald, Malcolm, Inmates
- ‘You are not empty’ - Elijah, Reginald, Malcolm, Muslims
- ‘Malcolm who have you been’ - Elijah, Malcolm, Muslims
- ‘We have been blind’ - Elijah, Malcolm
- ‘Allaho Akbar’ - Elijah, Reginald, Malcolm, Muslims
Scene 2
- ‘We are an African people’ - Woman Preacher, Garvey Preacher (Orator), Muslims
- ‘Where are we now brother?’ - Malcolm, Reginald, Garvey Preacher (Orator), Muslims
Scene 3
- ‘My son I hear you speak’ - Elijah, Muslims
- ‘If we are going to be free’ - Malcolm, Muslims, Reginald
Scene 4
- ‘We are a nation’ - Malcolm, Muslims, Reginald, Betty, Elijah
- ‘Mister X, what do you make of the recent tragic events’ - Reporter, Malcolm
- ‘Chickens come home to roost’ - Muslims, Elijah
Act Three
Scene 1
- ‘Betrayal is on his lips’ - Muslims
- ‘As Salaam Alaikum’ - Elijah, Malcolm, Muslims
- Interlude
- Betty’s Aria ‘When a man believes’ - Betty
Scene 2
- ‘Bismilah, hirrahman-irrahim’ - Pilgrims, Malcolm
- ‘My name is Shabazz’ - Malcolm
Scene 3
- ‘Mister X, Mister Malcolm X’ - Reporters, Photographer
Scene 4
- ‘I have learned so much in Africa’ - Malcolm
- ‘America is a house of glass’ - Reporters, Elijah, Muslims
- ‘Who set the bomb, destroyed your home?’ - Reginald, Malcolm
- ‘They can call me names’ - Malcolm
Scene 5
- Audubon Ballroom, Malcolm’s Assassination - Malcolm, Followers, Gunmen
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.