OPERA CHOICE
An impressive take on an important American work
Anthony Davis’s 1985 opera X is brought vividly back to life by this talented ensemble, says George Hall
Anthony Davis
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X
Davóne Tines, Whitney Morrison, Ronnita Miller, Victor Robertson; Boston Modern Opera Project; Odyssey Opera/Gil Rose
BMOP BMOP/Sound 1088 148:15 mins (2 discs)
Anthony Davis’s opera had its premiere in 1985 and received a major production by New York City Opera the following year. Over recent years there has been renewed interest in the piece, which has been subject to revisions and cuts, including specifically for this recording – though certain scenes still feel sluggish. That said, is certainly a work of major importance, not only culturally – the subject is the life and death of an important if controversial figure in American history who was assassinated in 1965 – but also artistically: the well-crafted libretto (by Davis’s cousin, Thulani)
