Champion:
An Opera in Jazz
MAY 20 & 22 | 2022
Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre
Music by Terence Blanchard
Libretto by Michael Cristofer
Sung in English with surtitles
Approximate Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes, one intermission
Haunted by the memories of his prize-winning boxing past, welterweight champion Emile Griffith reflects on his life as he navigates the meaning of masculinity and complex sexuality. Multi-talented composer Terence Blanchard seamlessly fuses opera and jazz styles to create this unique work based on a true story that’s not to be missed.
Due to production disruptions caused by a series of Covid-19 cases the Champion performance on Wednesday, May 18 has been canceled and the remaining two performances on May 20 and May 22 will be concert style on the production’s main set ,with costumes.
If you have tickets to the Wednesday, May 18 performance, we invite you to join us on Friday, May 20 at 7:30PM or Sunday, May 22 at 3PM the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theater. You may also request a refund or credit. Please email boxoffice@blo.org to make your request.
Champion: An Opera in Jazz contains adult themes including explicit language, non-consensual sexual situations, and physical violence.
Press Release
Champion was commissioned by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and co-commissioned by Jazz St. Louis. The commissioning of Champion was made possible with a leadership gift from the Whitaker Foundation, and with generous support from the Fred M. Saigh Endowment at Opera Theatre and the National Endowment for the Arts. Funded in part by The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Inc.
Community engagement programming for Champion was supported in part by the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Boston Cultural Council, Reopen Creative Boston Fund, administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.