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.
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]