Slate Race and Identity
Working: Malcolm X’s Story, Told Through Opera
Feb 4, 2024
Anthony Davis, a Pulitzer Prize winning opera composer, discusses the inspiration behind his opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X and the diverse genres he drew from. The podcast also explores creative career pivots, finding inspiration through eavesdropping, and their mutual love of science fiction.
46:50
Episode guests
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Anthony Davis became interested in merging music, drama, and storytelling after his first opera, X, which focused on capturing the musical styles and political development of Malcolm X.
- Anthony Davis finds inspiration in everyday sounds and conversations, using speech rhythm to generate melodic and rhythmic ideas for his compositions and drawing influence from Gamelan and South Indian music to create different musical spaces in his opera.
Deep dives
Anthony Davis' Transition to Narrative-Driven Music
Composer and jazz legend Anthony Davis discusses his shift from being known as a jazz composer to writing narrative-driven music for the stage. Davis explains that after his first opera, X, he became hooked on the idea of merging music, drama, and storytelling. He highlights his interest in capturing the musical styles and political development of Malcolm X in his first opera. Davis also explores the collaborative process with his family members, emphasizing the role of his brother and cousin in the creation of X.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
