Anthony Davis (composer) facts for kids

Anthony Davis (born February 20, 1951) is an American pianist and composer. He is famous for creating music that mixes many different styles. These include jazz, rhythm 'n' blues, gospel, and classical music from Europe and other parts of the world, like Indonesian gamelan. He has played piano in many musical groups and is also a professor of music at the University of California, San Diego.

Davis is most famous for his operas. An opera is like a play where the story is told through singing and music. He is sometimes called "the dean of African-American opera composers." Some of his most famous operas are X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X, Amistad, and Wakonda's Dream.

His opera The Central Park Five premiered in 2019. In 2020, this opera won him the Pulitzer Prize for Music, one of the most important awards a composer can receive.

Early Life and Education

Anthony Davis was born in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1951. His father, Charles Davis, was a college professor who was an expert on the author Richard Wright. Because of his father's job, Anthony grew up in several college towns. He graduated from Yale University in 1975 and later taught at both Yale and Harvard University.

Since 1996, Davis has been a Distinguished Professor of Music at the University of California, San Diego.

Musical Career

Before becoming famous for his operas, Davis was a well-known free-jazz pianist. He played with famous musicians like Anthony Braxton and Leo Smith. In 1981, he started his own group, an octet (a group of eight musicians) called Episteme. He also wrote the background music for the Broadway version of the famous play Angels in America in 1993.

Operas About History

Many of Davis's operas tell stories about important people and events in African-American history. He believes it's important to create art that talks about social issues.

X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X

This opera, which premiered in 1986, tells the story of the famous civil rights leader Malcolm X. It was one of his first major operas and was performed by the New York City Opera. In 2023, it was performed at the famous Metropolitan Opera, where it received great reviews.

Amistad

Amistad premiered in 1997. It tells the true story of a group of enslaved Africans who took control of the Spanish ship Amistad in 1839. Their case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled they should be freed. The first version of the opera received mixed reviews, but Davis later revised it. The new version was a huge success.

Wakonda's Dream

Davis has also explored Native American history. His 2007 opera Wakonda's Dream is about a modern Ponca family in Nebraska. The story shows how their lives are affected by their history and traditions.

The Central Park Five

This opera tells the story of five teenagers from Harlem who were wrongly accused of a crime in 1989. The opera explores themes of justice and race in America. It premiered in 2019 and won Davis the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2020.

When he found out he won, he was in a Zoom meeting with other professors. They all got to hear the exciting phone call. One of his colleagues called it the "Best Zoombomb ever!" Davis said he was excited that his work about social issues could have such a big impact.

Recent Work

Davis continues to compose new music. In 2023, he wrote a short piece of music called a fanfare for the 100th anniversary of the Naumburg Bandshell in New York's Central Park. Since 2024, he has been working on a new opera based on the children's book Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote by Duncan Tonatiuh.

Personal Life

Davis has two sons. His son Timothy is a writer, and his son Jonah was a professional baseball player.

Famous Operas

• X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X (1986): The story of the civil rights leader Malcolm X.
• Tania (1992): About the kidnapping of Patricia Hearst.
• Amistad (1997): Based on the true story of a slave ship rebellion.
• Wakonda's Dream (2007): About a modern Native American family.
• Lear on the 2nd Floor (2012): A modern version of the story of King Lear.
• The Central Park Five (2019): About five teenagers who were wrongly accused of a crime.

See also

In Spanish: Anthony Davis (compositor) para niños