Terence Blanchard’s new opera “Champion” has arrived at the Metropolitan Opera, with a powerful storyline that centers around a queer Black man. This latest production from the celebrated composer marks his return to the Met after last year’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” which was also based on a memoir by journalist Charles M. Blow, who is openly bisexual.
“Champion” is based on the life of Emile Griffith, a gay Black boxer who dominated rivals at Madison Square Garden during the 1960s while also secretly frequenting gay bars and clubs. Griffith’s story is one of tragic conflict and secrecy, as he struggled to reconcile his identity as a queer man with his success in the boxing world. The work is an emotional exploration of the duality of his life and the cost of hiding one’s true self.
Blanchard’s music and libretto bring Griffith’s story to life in a way that resonates with audiences and makes them confront the realities of oppression and discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people. The production features two actors playing Griffith at different stages of his life: Eric Owens portrays the older Griffith suffering from dementia, while Ryan Speedo Green plays the younger version of the boxer during his heyday.
The opera also features a diverse cast of performers, including drag queens and other queer characters, bringing a fresh perspective to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. Scenes set in Hagen’s Hole, a shadowy bar filled with queer people who are forced to keep their desires hidden, offer a glimpse into a world that has rarely been depicted on the opera stage before.
Blanchard hopes that his operas can change hearts and minds in dealing with underrepresented communities. “I hope that these operas will showcase the talents of those who don’t get many opportunities,” he said in a recent interview. “And I hope that my operas can change some hearts and minds in dealing with these communities.”
“Champion” is part of a wave of new and recent works that the Metropolitan Opera plans to stage over the next five years, including 17 productions by artists who are less often represented. The hope is that these diverse and inclusive productions will attract new audiences to the Met, including those who may not have felt welcome before.
The opera offers a rare and genuine gesture of welcome to those who have long felt excluded from traditional opera programming. As the author of this article, a journalist who covers the arts, states: “It took an opera like Champion, about a queer person of color, for me to be assigned a story like this one and to be invited inside to experience a production.” It is a powerful reminder of the importance of diversity and representation in the arts, and the impact it can have on audiences.