♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Hello.

I'm Lawrence Brownlee, and welcome to today's performance of "Champion," the knockout opera by jazz great Terence Blanchard.

The opera is the true story of the closeted boxer Emile Griffith, whose life was tragically defined by the death of his friend and archrival in the ring.

"Champion," with a libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Michael Cristofer, stars not one but two exceptional bass baritones in the title role -- Ryan Speedo Green as the young boxer on the rise and Eric Owens, who portrays the older Emile on a lifelong quest for redemption.

The Met music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, a great supporter of the transportive power of new opera, will be on the podium to conduct.

But, first, The Met's general manager, Peter Gelb, will speak with the man of the hour, composer Terence Blanchard.

-Thank you so much for giving us this gift of an opera.

-Sure.

-And the second one, so we're so grateful.

You know, as you know, The Met is trying to change the face of opera with accessible new work and with stories that people can really -- audiences today can really relate to.

And, certainly, your story you chose of the life of Emile Griffith is a story that's full of tragedy and human drama.

Maybe you can tell us why you chose his story.

-Well, I think the thing that drew me to "Champion" was the whole notion of somebody being that accomplished and not being able to celebrate that openly with somebody that he loved.

I mean, I thought about the first time I won an award.

I just turned to my wife without thinking, gave her a kiss and a hug, and went up on the stage.

And to think that this guy became welterweight champion and wasn't allowed to do that -- Plus, the line, you know, near the end of the opera where he says, you know, "I killed a man, and the world forgave me, yet I loved a man, and the world wants to kill me" is a very powerful statement.

And for me, these are issues that we should be well past in our society.

So, you know, I really wanted to do something to help bring attention to that.

-We're presenting your operas in reverse order.

Last season, we presented your second opera.

"Champion" is your first.

-Right.

-Last season was "Fire Shut Up In My Bones," which is another true story about someone who is trying to come to grips with personal trauma, in this case, in their youth.

-Yes.

Right.

-What draws you to these dark stories of redemption?

-Well, you know, part of it is probably some of the things that I experienced in my life growing up, wanting to be a musician, not being the most popular thing to do in my neighborhood, walking to the bus stop with these glasses on, carrying a horn, feeling of isolation.

The other thing, too, I think, you know, about it is that it's the powerful nature of overcoming these obstacles.

When you look at what Charles had to go through -- -Charles Blow, the central character of "Fire Shut Up In My Bones."

-And then, with Emile Griffith, the same thing.

I mean, look at what he went through, and he carried that pain for generations, until he met with Benny Paret Jr., and that kind of absolved him of all of the guilt that he had been suffering.

So, it's the human side of these stories that really grabs my attention.

-There's a subtitle for this opera, which is "An Opera in Jazz."

-Mm-hmm.

-What does that mean, if you could explain that to the audiences tuning in today?

-Well, the reason why we say that is because we don't want people to be confused about what the opera is.

We don't want people to come into the theater thinking that they're going to hear big band or a jazz band swinging throughout the entire thing from beginning to end.

I'm trying to do what the great composers before me, like Puccini and Stravinsky, have all done, is to take the DNA from all of those elements and use them to tell a story.

-I think Puccini would be feeling very pleased with his successor in composing today.

So, you know, for me, it's very gratifying to look out at an audience and seeing young and diverse faces.

-Yes.

-Opera hasn't always been that way, and you're changing that.

How does it feel for you to see that?

-It's an overwhelming feeling, to be honest.

I mean, I got to thank you for putting us on at the stage here.

But when I look out in the audience and I see that diverse crowd, I'm looking at a group of people who I think have been overlooked for a long time.

And a lot of those folks have been telling me, "Well, if this is opera, I'll come."

And that means a lot to me, because, you know, we're servicing a group of people that have been yearning for this type of entertainment.

-Well, we hope that you keep writing operas for us and they'll keep coming and we'll keep producing them.

-Okay.

-And we're looking -- You know, we're looking for opera number three.

-Okay.

-And I know we're going to be talking about that.

-Yes, yes, yes.

Can I get some sleep first, though?

[ Both laugh ] -Yeah, you're entitled to some well-deserved sleep.

Anyway, thank you so much for letting us have this treasure of an opera.

-Thank you, Peter.

Thank you, man.

-Thanks so much.

-Thank you.

Appreciate it.

-James Robertson's Met premiere production of "Champion" sweeps the audience from a colorful festival in the Caribbean to the gritty streets of New York to the high-stakes battleground of the boxing ring.

Joining Ryan Speedo Green and Eric Owens is a dazzling ensemble cast, including soprano Latonia Moore as Emile's manipulative mother, Emelda, tenor Paul Groves as his ambitious manager, and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe as the raunchy gay-bar owner Kathy Hagen.

It's a vivid cast of characters.

Maestro Nézet-Séguin is ready to go to the pit.

Here is "Champion."

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Hey!

[ Bell dings ] [ Whistle blows, shouting ] ♪♪ -♪ Gimme that hat, boy, gimme that hat ♪ ♪ Gimme that hat, boy, gimme that hat ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ -Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ But... ♪ [ Applause ] [ Bell dings ] ♪♪ [ Bell dings ] [ Bell dings ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Laughs ] [ Laughter ] -I ain't no killer, Mr. Albert.

[ All gasp ] -[ Laughs ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Take the chance ♪ [ Indistinct shouting ] [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter, shouting ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Laughs ] -Oooooh!

-Ooh!

[ All cheering ] [ Applause ] ♪♪ [ All cheer ] -♪ In my head ♪ [ Bell dings ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ -Yes.

Yes.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bell dings ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Listen, Howie.

...what he says about me.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bell dings ] [ Bell dings ] [ Bell dings ] ♪♪ [ Bell dings ] [ Bell dings ] -Medic!

[ Bell dings ] ♪♪ [ Bell dings ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ -"Great Performances at The Metropolitan Opera" is brought to you by Toll Brothers.

♪♪ Committed to crafting homes and creating communities coast to coast for 50 years.

♪♪ Toll Brothers, America's luxury home builder.

Additional funding is provided by... ...and by contributions to a PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

-At the end of the previous act, Emile has knocked out his opponent, Benny Paret, sending him into a coma he would not survive.

It's a tragedy that will haunt Emile for the rest of his life.

Here is the conclusion of "Champion."

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ [ Bell dings ] [ Bell dings ] -Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ All cheering ] -[ Laughs ] [ All cheering ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Oh, baby.

-Emile!

Emile!

Emile!

[ Applause ] ♪♪ [ Bell dings ] [ Bell dings ] [ Bell dings ] -♪ How does it feel, how does it feel, Emile?

♪ [ Bell dings ] -♪ How does it feel, how does it feel, Emile ♪ ♪ To win that fight?

♪ [ Bell dings ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bell dings ] [ Bell dings ] [ Bell dings ] -What?

Emile, look at me.

Emile, listen to me.

-Okay.

Where... Three words.

Where does the big hand go?

♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -No, man.

Hey, give me back my bag.

Come on, man.

Come on, man.

-Where you goin'?

Stick around.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Yo, Papi, I got your le-- Emile!

Emile!

-No!

No!

No!

No!

-Yes.

Yes.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bell dings ] ♪♪ -♪ Yes ♪ ♪ No, no, no ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Indistinct conversations ] [ Indistinct conversations ] -"Champion" marks the third time director James Robinson and choreographer Camille A.

Brown have worked together at The Met, following momentous successes with "Porgy & Bess" and Terence Blanchard's "Fire Shut Up In My Bones."

They recently spoke about bringing "Champion" to life on the stage of The Met.

-In 2009, I had just become artistic director at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and one of my missions was to commission a lot of new operas.

And one of the projects that had been talked about was to do some type of collaboration with Jazz St. Louis.

So I reached out to my colleague at Jazz St. Louis, and he provided me with a list of names.

And the name that really stuck out was Terence Blanchard.

And after about six or seven months, Terence called and said, "I have an idea for an opera."

I said, "Great."

And he said, "I want to write an opera about Emile Griffith."

And it did not take much to convince me that this was going to be a really good subject for Terence's first opera.

What makes "Champion" really interesting, but also very challenging, from a directorial standpoint, is that we're dealing with multiple decades.

We start in the late '50s and we go all the way into the '80s.

The music supplies a lot of that information, too.

So we had to match that with our visuals.

Camille and I talked a great deal about how to use dance as an element throughout the piece as we go from scene to scene, decade to decade.

-The parade scene that takes place in St. Thomas -- it was really important to get a couple of things accomplished.

One, the idea of the parade... -♪ He can swing a baseball bat ♪ -...but then, also, he's singing about his love for making hats and also playing baseball, so there's a lot of storytelling that has to happen in a short amount of time.

And then, movement-wise, just more of the Virgin Islands, what does that feel like?

Really, that vibe of St. Thomas.

And so I incorporated a lot of the African Diaspora inside of the movement.

And I was really interested and inspired by Montana's costumes.

There's one where there's this raffia that if you turn and spin, it really makes this beautiful swirl.

So I tried to choreograph with that in mind.

-♪ Oh, so happy, oh, so happy ♪ -My favorite dance moment is a transition that we make out of Howie's Hat Factory in Act I into the boxing training gym, where you see these dancers and these actors going through the motions of a training scene.

It's almost like a cinematic montage scene.

-It was an opportunity to get behind the scenes of Emile training and what that looks like, a day in the life of Emile.

♪♪ -We created this production pretty much around the idea of a boxing ring.

So, in many ways, the boxing ring is a central character.

-And I was really excited to work with the actors on their different movements and I was really inspired by the rhythm that Terence composed.

So I wanted to do something that incorporated boxing moves and warm-ups but had a rhythm to it.

So we had push-ups in there, we had jabs, so a little bit of everything we tried to get in a count of eight.

-And, also, we had a boxing consultant, a former heavyweight champion, Michael Bentt, who was working with us and consulting with us on the show.

And it was really fascinating to see how Michael would work with Camille and her dancers to give them a little more gravitas.

We didn't want it to seem as if, "Okay, here are the guys who look like boxers, here are the dancers that look like dancers."

We really wanted everybody to look like they were sharing the same type of physical vocabulary.

-I set the movement, and he would come in and give pointers and coach them, so they're really, like, going from a rooted place when you see them do it.

-The story of Emile Griffith touches on so many different subjects, but, in many ways, it's about the search for redemption, the search for forgiveness.

And I think that is a very theatrical and very resonant story.

And, certainly, it inspired Terence to write some really fantastic music.

♪♪ -I'm with our star, Ryan Speedo Green.

Speedo, incredible first act.

You've had a meteoric rise on the stage.

How does it feel to be performing your first title role?

-It feels amazing.

I mean, it's kind of fate that I started here as a professional opera singer, singing the Mandarin in "Turandot" in the famous Zeffirelli production, and now I get to do the first lead role of my career here at The Metropolitan Opera.

-Yeah.

Why don't you tell us about the show-stopping aria at the end of Act I.

It pretty much sums up your character, right?

-Yeah, I mean, this opera is sort of -- I feel really related to Emile's story of breaking the preconceptions of, you know, what is a man?

You know, I grew up in the South, a very different interpretation of what is a man compared to Emile.

Emile is not only one of the best fighters of his generation, but he also was a hatmaker.

He played baseball.

He loved to dance, you know?

And he also had this side of him off the stage that didn't define him, but it was a part of him, and that's a beautiful thing about him.

-Yeah, a very, very mixed story.

-Yeah.

-Now, playing a boxer is a significant physical challenge.

What did you do to prepare for it?

-A lot.

So, you know, when the role was offered to me by Peter Gelb and Terence Blanchard, I made a promise to both of them that not only would I try and present his music in the best way possible on the greatest stage, but also that I would try to get my body in shape to at least show the physicality of a boxer.

Obviously, I can't be a welterweight, because it would be half of me to be a welterweight.

But, you know, I thought -- You know, I looked at Michael Bentt.

I looked at some of the heavyweights of that generation and I tried to aim for their physique.

So, I lost about 60 pounds since then.

-So, the last HD production that the audience saw you in was "Ariadne auf Naxos."

-Yeah.

-It's safe to say that the music of Terence Blanchard is a bit different than that.

What has it been like singing his music for you?

-It's been rewarding, because, you know, he has been the first here at The Met in many things, and his music is, to me, Puccini-like in the way that it's so different.

I've been in -- I had the pleasure of being in "Fire Shut Up In My Bones" when it premiered here at The Met, the first opera composed by an African-American here at The Met, and now I get to be in his second opera, which he's one of few to have two operas performed at The Met.

It's an awesome experience.

-Amazing.

Now, in addition to performing this role, you've been doing photo shoots, making TV commercials, participating in talks all over New York City.

Does it feel like it's a major moment for you?

-It definitely feels like it's a -- I'm stepping up, and, you know, I've been trained here at The Metropolitan Opera in the Lindemann Young Artist Program and went to Europe, lived in Vienna, and sang with the Wiener Staatsoper for five years, building up to this moment in my life.

So I think I'm ready.

-Well, congrats on your success.

-Thanks, brother.

See ya.

-Now I get a chance to speak with the older Emile, my good friend of many years, Eric Owens.

Eric, I know you just love being called the older Emile, right?

-That's totally fine.

It's appropriate.

I'm a man of a certain age.

-Me too.

You've sung over 125 performances on The Met stage, across a huge range of repertoire.

How does singing Terence Blanchard's music feel for you?

-It feels good.

It feels very, very good.

It's wonderful, and we were lucky that we had the composer in the room with us.

-Mm-hmm.

-And if something wasn't feeling right, you could go to him and ask him to change it.

But, luckily, I didn't have to change anything.

It was -- It felt -- It fit like a glove.

-It's great to have them -- -Yeah.

Absolutely.

-Now, you're giving such a moving portrayal of Emile facing dementia.

Talk to me a little bit about the challenges of playing this part.

It can't be easy capturing his decline.

-Well, when you're playing someone going through that, there's sort of a certain level of responsibility that you feel that you don't want to caricaturize it and you don't want it to make it, you know, overblown, but you want to let it be known that that's what he's going through.

And, it's a special thing, because, you know, I don't know of anybody who doesn't know someone who has gone through this, and so it touches the audience in a very special way.

-Well, I have to ask you about Yannick.

How has he guided you through this jazz-inflected score?

-Oh, he's been amazing.

He's been amazing.

I love working with him all the time.

He always brings such an incredible energy into the room, and when he's in the pit, you look down there, and you can't help but feel supported.

-His excitement.

-It's very exciting.

And he's just one of the nicest people you ever want to work with.

-Well, I want to congratulate you on a powerful performance, Eric.

Fantastic.

-Thank you so much, Larry.

-Absolutely.

Now I get a chance to speak with The Met music director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Maestro, hello.

-Hello, Larry.

-You look like you're ready to jump in the ring yourself.

-Exactly.

Like, you know... [ Both laugh ] That's The Met costume department that did that for me.

I mean, aren't they amazing?

-You look amazing.

-Thank you.

-Well, Terence has described this as an opera in jazz.

What's the relationship between the jazz musicians and the orchestra in the pit?

-Yeah, it's a fascinating thing, because I think some numbers -- As people can tell already, I think some numbers are very symphonic or very operatic, like Puccini -- Terence loves Puccini -- but then there are also some moments that really go into the jazz, where the rhythm section is really driving the forces.

And, especially, I think what's brilliant and genius about what he's done is that we're treating the quartet, the jazz quartet, a little bit like the continuo group would do in a Handel or Monteverdi opera or even recitatives in Mozart.

So the balance of the two is, I think, extraordinary.

-And let me ask you, how did you work with the orchestra to bring out some of the jazz elements?

-I think, first, we need to have the composer there, and Terence was there every day.

So people could go to him, ask questions, change and modify things to know more what's behind this thing.

But, also, it's about being open-minded.

I think everyone and these fabulous musicians -- they know how to groove.

They know how to swing.

We just need to have a conductor, maybe, who allows them to do so and dancing myself, you know?

So that's what I'm trying to do, and they respond to this so beautifully.

-Well, this is a breakout role for Ryan Speedo Green, and it asks so much of him, both musically and physically.

What has it been like to work with him on this portrayal?

-I think Speedo is one of the greatest singers of our time.

-Yeah.

-He is just everything.

He's charismatic, he has a fantastic voice, he's so musically intelligent, and he wanted to take this so seriously, you know?

He kept also sending me messages through e-mails and messages, saying, "Maestro, tell me everything."

It's fascinating, and I think this is not only a great portrayal of a great character, of a great opera, but I think we can expect to see much more in the future as a title role.

-Now, we heard from Peter Gelb at the start of the show that it's very important for The Met to showcase new and recent works.

And I know this is important to you, as well.

Why is this so important for The Metropolitan Opera?

-This is the home of the greatest art, the greatest artists, and I think that everyone in the audience should recognize themselves with these great artists.

And we have a great repertoire.

You know, Mozart is great, and Verdi is great, but, at the end of the day, they're all European white male from a certain era.

And I think if we represent issues that are much more diverse and that everyone feels welcome on the stage of The Met, but also in the audience of The Met, we are just enriching the art form.

And we will still, of course, have Mozart and have the great artists, like you in Mozart.

But I think that alternance -- Yesterday, I was conducting "Bohème," and, you know, the audience also felt new and revived.

So I'm very optimistic for the future.

-Well, kudos to you on your performance and all the work you're doing at The Metropolitan Opera.

Thank you.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And now the two most outlandish women of "Champion," Stephanie Blythe and Latonia Moore.

Ladies, my friends.

-Hey, Larry.

-Latonia, you are tearing up the stage in your portrayal of Emelda Griffith.

It's so funny, but also moving.

How do you walk the line between humor and pathos?

-Ooh!

That's a good question.

It's very hard with a character like this, because I can't say, on a personal level, it's one that I like so much.

But it's one that I relish playing, because everybody has that sort of double thing inside of them where they're good and they're bad.

So how do I walk the fine line?

I think the way is by leaning into the bad a little more than I'm used to so that when you do see something that's internal and, you know, just more personal for her, you believe it, because she's so sincere when she's bad.

Why wouldn't she be just as sincere when she's telling the truth and she's good?

-Exactly.

Stephanie, people will be talking about your Kathy Hagen for years to come.

Aside from the foul language, how different is this for you, vocally and musically, than anything you've ever done on The Met stage?

-Than anything I've done on The Met stage?

It's very different.

Than in my regular life?

Not at all.

Foul language is right up my alley.

And I'm a cabaret singer and a drag artist on the side, so this is very -- This is like coming home to me.

-Yes.

Well, both of your characters are based on real-life people.

Did you do any research to kind of help your interpretation or do you get everything from the score?

-I got a lot of it from the score, but I absolutely did research, looking for any footage I could find of Emelda Griffith, any pictures.

And she was, indeed, over the top.

At one point, she jumps into the boxing ring with everybody once her son wins.

I mean, she's larger than life, and so I was really glad that I had somebody real to draw off of.

And, so, you know, this is opera, so I vamped her up like times ten.

-Well, like Speedo, you've been involved in a lot of The Met's efforts to reach students and new audiences for "Champion."

What has that experience been like?

And do you enjoy it?

-Oh, gosh.

I enjoy so much talking to the kids, especially with a show like this, because it involves so much personal things, so many struggles and things that people in high school do go through.

So they really related to the story more than I thought they ever would, and that was fulfilling.

-And, Stephanie, you have a performing life outside of opera, singing cabaret, as you mentioned, American songbook, even rock.

I've seen you online.

Has that helped you with this jazz-infused score?

-Actually, I grew up in a jazz household.

My father was a jazz musician.

So it's -- This is -- Again, it's like coming home.

It's a very, very easy place to be.

-Thank you both.

You both are amazing.

Thank you for joining me today.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, Larry.