Terence Blanchard’s second opera Fire Shut Up in My Bones which opened the Met’s previous season was such a hit (it will be back next season) that the company staged his first opera Champion this year. The opera tells the story of five time boxing champion Emile Griffith. Musically Blanchard’s first opera is not as good as its second, but the Met gave it such an outstanding production that it exceeded its source.
The libretto shifts between the years when Griffith was active as a fighter and his older self suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy and guilt over having killed a man in the ring. There also a part for Griffith as a boy mistreated by the woman who raised him. His birth mother, played by Latonia Moore, abandoned her seven children – all by different fathers. The young Griffith (Ryan Speedo Green) and the demented older incarnation (Eric Owens) were often onstage together.
James Robinson’s production made brilliant use of the Met’s extraordinary resources. The action moved between an elevated single room apartment that housed the elder Griffith to the downstage area that started in St Thomas and moved to Manhattan. The scenes shifted seamlessly from a factory to a ring to a Gay bar and so on. The fight scene in which Emile fatally injures Benny Paret was very well done.
The chorus and dancers were so expertly manipulated that you couldn’t easily distinguish one from the other. A panel on either side of the stage displayed black and white photographs of the fighters. Everything was done to such a standard of excellence that the absence of a single memorable tune was not readily noticeable. Blanchard has repeatedly said that Puccini is one of his favorite composers. Would that he had the Italian’s melodic gift. While there were no tunes, there was a lot of dramatically evocative music.
Green and Owen’s were superb as Griffith young and old. The former’s vocal development has been remarkable. This part was his first leading role. His potential seems unlimited. He lost 60 pounds to look like the fighter he portrayed. His singing was the best of the afternoon, though almost everyone was at their vocal best. Next season Green will have the lead in the return of Fire Shut up… and will be Escamillo in the company’s run of Carmen. Owens was affecting as the failing Emile. His part is written such that wobble that his characterized his recent appearances was not noticable.
Latonia Moore who inhabits every part she sings was fine as Emile’s wayward mother. Her voice was a little freer in the second act than at the opera’s start. Stephanie Blythe was appropriately rough and tumble as the propiatress of a gay bar that Emile frequents.
Chauncey Parker was sympathetic as older Emile’s stepson and caregiver. Paul Groves’ voice was on the dry side, though he was still effective as Emile’s manager. Eric Greene in his debut roles as Paret senior and junior was so buff that he could have challenged Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime. Vocally he was a little unsteady. Lee Wilkof in the speaking role of the Ring Announcer was particularly on target. The rest of the cast were all excellent.
The Met’s music director,Yannick Nézet-Séguin, welded a very strong performance from the large ensemble needed to stage this boxing opera. The jazz quartet in the pit blended seamlessly with the Met’s orchestra. The pixieish maestro was appropriately dressed in a workout costume complete with a hood. The production was so good that, as I intimated above, it surpassed the material it represented.
How well this opera will play when given by a company without the Met’s extravagant resources is difficult to gauge. I suspect it won’t be able to sustain itself on a lesser platform. Regardless, it’s definitely worth a trip to the theater to catch the replay if you missed the live show.
Metropolitan Opera House
April 29, 2023
CHAMPION
Terence Blanchard – Michael Cristofer
Young Emile Griffith…………Ryan Speedo Green
Emile Griffith………………Eric Owens
Emelda Griffith……………..Latonia Moore
Luis Rodrigo Griffith………..Chauncey Packer
Howie Albert………………..Paul Groves
Benny “Kid” Paret……………Eric Greene
Benny Paret, Jr……………..Eric Greene
Little Emile………………..Ethan Joseph
Kathy Hagen…………………Stephanie Blythe
Man in Bar………………….Edward Nelson
Sadie Donastorg Griffith……..Brittany Renee
Ring Announcer………………Lee Wilkof
Cousin Blanche………………Krysty Swann
Lucia Paret…………………Helena Brown
Mano Alfaro…………………Tshombe Selby
Orchestra Rhythm Section:
Piano………………………Bryan Wagorn
Bass……………………….Matt Brewer
Guitar……………………..Adam Rogers
Drums………………………Jeff “Tain” Watts
Conductor…………………..Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Production………………….James Robinson
Set Designer………………..Allen Moyer
Costume Designer…………….Montana Levi Blanco
Lighting Designer……………Donald Holder
Projection Designer………….Greg Emetaz
Choreographer……………….Camille A. Brown
Video Director………….Gary Halvorson
