X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X

Malcolm Little, Detroit Red, Malcolm X, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz: His name is legendary, his image iconic, but rarely has the story of his political and spiritual awakening been told with such force as in Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Anthony Davis’s groundbreaking 1986 opera. The work evokes the broader history of human rights struggles against white supremacy and racist violence while illuminating the singular circumstances faced by its protagonist—his father’s murder; his mother’s institutionalization; and his imprisonment, conversion, and eventual death. With a revised and expanded score and libretto (by esteemed writer Thulani Davis, the composer’s cousin), the opera looks anew at the life and legacy of one of the 20th century’s most controversial leaders.

 X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X arrives at the Metropolitan Opera in playwright and Tony-nominated director Robert O’Hara’s potent new staging, which reimagines Malcolm as an Everyman whose story transcends time and space. Bringing an Afrofuturist vision to bear on the historical narrative of Malcolm’s rise and fall, the production compels audiences to consider the meaning of his message for contemporary human rights movements. An exceptional cast of breakout artists and young Met stars enlivens the operatic retelling of Malcolm’s life, including baritone Will Liverman—who triumphed in the Met premiere of Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones—as Malcolm, soprano Leah Hawkins as his mother Louise and wife Betty, mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis as his sister Ella, bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as his brother Reginald, and tenor Victor Ryan Robertson as Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad.

This guide approaches X as a window on the multiple social, political, and cultural movements that influenced, and were influenced by, Malcolm’s leadership. Students will have opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of the history of Black nationalism, the expressive vocabulary of Afrofuturism, the narrative and dramatic structure of the opera, and the historical forces—like the Great Migration and rise of white supremacist violence—that deeply impacted Malcolm’s life. These interdisciplinary tools will together prepare students to tackle the musical and philosophical complexities of Anthony Davis’s sprawling, meditative work.

Included in the 2023-24 season of HD Live in Schools.