X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X

Opera

Writers: Anthony Davis Thulani Davis

Songs

Overture

Act One

Scene 1

Scene 2

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.


X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X guide sections