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15.9303C0.0874636 17.264 0.878901 18.6348 2.21255 18.9922L5.37495 19.8396V7.66664C5.37495 6.40099 6.40096 5.37498 7.66661 5.37498H19.4723C19.3299 5.30548 19.1788 5.24858 19.0201 5.20604L6.785 1.92766Z" stroke="none"></path><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M8.44161 7.4C7.86632 7.4 7.39995 7.86637 7.39995 8.44167V22.1081C7.39995 22.6834 7.86631 23.1498 8.4416 23.1498L22.1083 23.15C22.6836 23.15 23.1499 22.6836 23.1499 22.1083V8.44167C23.1499 7.86637 22.6836 7.4 22.1083 7.4H8.44161ZM10.3999 9.65C9.84766 9.65 9.39995 10.0977 9.39995 10.65C9.39995 11.2023 9.84766 11.65 10.3999 11.65H18.3999C18.9522 11.65 19.3999 11.2023 19.3999 10.65C19.3999 10.0977 18.9522 9.65 18.3999 9.65H10.3999ZM10.3999 14.15C9.84766 14.15 9.39995 14.5977 9.39995 15.15C9.39995 15.7023 9.84766 16.15 10.3999 16.15H15.3999C15.9522 16.15 16.3999 15.7023 16.3999 15.15C16.3999 14.5977 15.9522 14.15 15.3999 14.15H10.3999Z" stroke="none"></path></g></svg></div><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__size-14--Ume6q ontend-pencraft-Text-module__le-height-20--p0dP8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__weight-normal--s54Wf ontend-pencraft-Text-module__font-text--QmNJR ontend-pencraft-Text-module__lor-sendary--WRADg ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ret--dW0zZ ontend-pencraft-Text-module__body4--Pl3xY">Not</div></button><button tabInx="0" id="trigger1340831" aria-expand="false" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-ntrols="dialog1340832" ariaLabel="View more" type="button" class="button share-actn"><div class="actn-in"><svg role="img" width="100" height="100" viewBox="0 0 100 100" fill="none" stroke-width="1.8" stroke="#000" xmlns="><g><tle></tle><circle cx="23" cy="50" r="9"></circle><circle cx="50" cy="50" r="9"></circle><circle cx="77" cy="50" r="9"></circle></g></svg></div><div translated class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__size-14--Ume6q ontend-pencraft-Text-module__le-height-20--p0dP8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__weight-normal--s54Wf ontend-pencraft-Text-module__font-text--QmNJR ontend-pencraft-Text-module__lor-sendary--WRADg ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ret--dW0zZ ontend-pencraft-Text-module__body4--Pl3xY">Other</div></button></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="post-hear"><h1 class="post-tle unpublished">Mic, excement, and the gay boxer</h1><h3 class="subtle">One Cheer for “Champn” at the Metropolan Opera</h3><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-directn-lumn--Rq7pk ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-bottom-16--KVxKv"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-directn-lumn--Rq7pk ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-y-16--ohCEm"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-jtify-start--_8fEd ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-align-center--rSd6h ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-12--rODKq"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flexGrow--mx4xz ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-align-center--rSd6h ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-8--HFpIK facepile"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-align-center--rSd6h"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-align-center--rSd6h ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__fac--FVkdk ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__size-40--pH6IT"><div class="profile-hover-rd-target ontend-rear2-ProfileAndPublitnHoverCard-module__profileHoverCardTarget--Od_YL"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flexAuto--CnX9I ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" /><img src=" siz="100vw" alt style="z-x: 1;" width="80" class="ontend-ponents-rponsive_img-module__img--Pgjj2 facepile-face ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__face--uAQkp ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__size-40--pH6IT ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__first--TZamh ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__last--DT3p3" /></picture></a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-directn-lumn--Rq7pk"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__size-11--k1e8b ontend-pencraft-Text-module__le-height-20--p0dP8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__weight-medium--x7khA ontend-pencraft-Text-module__font-meta--U_nxy ontend-pencraft-Text-module__lor-pub-primary-text--RzL7j ontend-pencraft-Text-module__transform-upperse--IDkUL ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ret--dW0zZ ontend-pencraft-Text-module__meta--jzHdd"><div class="profile-hover-rd-target ontend-rear2-ProfileAndPublitnHoverCard-module__profileHoverCardTarget--Od_YL"><a href=" class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ratn-hover-unrle--BEYAn ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ret--dW0zZ">Allen Frantzen</a></div></div><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-4--zeW5_"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__size-11--k1e8b ontend-pencraft-Text-module__le-height-20--p0dP8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__weight-medium--x7khA ontend-pencraft-Text-module__font-meta--U_nxy 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wh-borr"><svg role="img" style="height: 20px; width: 20px;" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="#000000" stroke-width="2" stroke="#000" xmlns=" class="in"><g><tle></tle><svg xmlns=" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-heart"><path d="M19 14c1.49-1.46 3-3.21 3-5.5A5.5 5.5 0 0 0 16.5 3c-1.76 0-3 .5-4.5 2-1.5-1.5-2.74-2-4.5-2A5.5 5.5 0 0 0 2 8.5c0 2.3 1.5 4.05 3 5.5l7 7Z"></path></svg></g></svg><div class="label">2</div></a><div ert role="dialog" class="modal typography out gone share-dialog popup"><div class="modal-table"><div class="modal-row"><div class="modal-cell modal-ntent no-fullscreen"><div class="ntaer"><button tabInx="0" type="button" data-ttid="close-modal" class="pencraft modal-btn modal-ex-btn no-marg ontend-pencraft-Button-module__inButton--xpBoH ontend-pencraft-Button-module__buttonBase--T0hXz ontend-pencraft-Button-module__size_40--RASvV 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ontend-pencraft-Box-module__borr-radi-12--AmQy9 social-preview-box post"><div class="social-image-box"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" /><img src=" siz="100vw" alt loadg="lazy" width="120" class="ontend-ponents-rponsive_img-module__img--Pgjj2 social-image" /></picture></div><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-directn-lumn--Rq7pk ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-y-8--exiCC ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-left-12--eE6bp"><h4 class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__size-16--fFowu ontend-pencraft-Text-module__le-height-20--p0dP8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__weight-bold--Ps9DB ontend-pencraft-Text-module__font-text--QmNJR ontend-pencraft-Text-module__lor-primary--ud4Z0 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ret--dW0zZ">Mic, excement, and the gay boxer</h4><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 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class="available-ntent"><div dir="to" class="body markup"><p><span>“Football Cheers Greet Rachmanov at Orchtra Hall” said the </span><em>Chigo Amerin</em><span> January 1932. The Rsian poser had performed his Third Piano Concerto (1909), one of the most difficult works the repertory. Another Chigo paper lled his performance “the most excg event the history of Orchtra Hall.” After the last note “the dience rose and shouted s approval,” cheerg as they would have cheered two away at Soldier Field, the home of Chigo football sce 1924.</span></p><p><span>Sports and classil mic don’t ually mix, although the 1890s they me together at the old home of New York’s Metropolan Opera, which was a venue for boxg and wrtlg as well as opera. Boxg and mic me together at the new Met recently, when the jazz opera </span><em>Champn</em><span> enjoyed a succsful n at Lln Center.</span></p><p> Wrten by Terrence Blanchard, the opera tells the story of the bi-sexual boxer Ee Griffh (see my March 8 post). Two tablished sgers shared the tle role, tenor Ryan Speedo Green (named after the swimwear brand) as the young boxer (below), and bass Eric Owens portrayg Griffh his last years. They sang and acted wh unrstated power, backed up by an imprsive supportg st.</p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel="nofollow ugc noopener"><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="800" height="343" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" fetchprry="high" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a></figure></div><p><span>I thought of </span><em>Champn</em><span> a few weeks ago, when Rsian pianist Danil Trifonov and the Chigo Symphony Orchtra performed the Rachmanov Third at Orchtra Hall. At the end, te to the 1932 precent, the dience leaped to s feet wh exced cheers that went on and on.</span></p><p><span>Applse after the Met’s </span><em>Champn</em><span> was also enthiastic (I saw the April 29 performance, which was broadst live to movie theaters). But that excement had ltle to do wh the mic and a lot to do wh novelty and polics.  </span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel="nofollow ugc noopener"><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="600" height="400" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt tle srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Excement at the CSO</p><p>What is , exactly, that ro a classil mic dience to football-stadium enthiasm? It might seem obv—great mic. But tak a certa kd of great mic. We assume that the reactn exprs athetic appreciatn of extraordary bety and artistry, and of urse that is te. However, betiful mic, very well played, is ordarily met wh hearty applse, not wh enzied excement. Frenzied excement means that somethg more than art appreciatn is volved.</p><p>Most people bee exced when mic mak somethg happen their heads, not psychologilly but physilly. The bra procs mic the way procs the rewards of food and alhol. Taste your favore food and the bra is flood wh a rewardg sensatn. Hear mic you love, and you feel reward. Some mic—most mic, perhaps—is merely gratifyg and pleasg. Rachmanov’s Third Piano Concerto is both, but is also eply excg.</p><p><span>Another thrillg example is the last movement of Gtav Mahler’s send symphony, lled </span><em>The Rurrectn</em><span> (1895); this movement lasts over 30 mut, one-third the length of the entire work. The fal three mut, which are powered by a large chos, an an, and a full orchtra, the mic climbs and climbs. Bells sound, and then, unexpectedly, there are two ps. After the last words are sung, the orchtra plays for another mute. When silence falls, many the dience fd themselv tears. Then, variably, they jump up and cheer like crazy.</span></p><p><span>This effect is not accintal. Nor is a rponse to bety pure and simple. Mahler wrote of this movement: "The creasg tensn, workg up to the fal climax, is so tremendo that I don't know myself, now that is over, how I ever me to wre ” (</span><em>Wiki</em><span> entry on the symphony).</span></p><p>Mahler’s mic, like Rachmanov’s, works on and the listener’s bra. The dory circus rpond to chang tempo, tensy, and volume. Wh an extend work, such as the Rachmanov Third, which lasts about 45 mut, this stimulatn is prolonged. Exquisely lite for a few sends, the mic is sudnly thunro; the pace seems steady, then unpredictable. The ncerto ntually ph to new terrory, wh chang key and tempo. You probably are not aware of , but as you take , your dory circus are buzzg. Part of the reason people leap to their feet is relief that the “creasg tensn” has e to an end. They feel released.</p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel="nofollow ugc noopener"><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="350" height="233" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Boxg at the Met</p><p><span>At the end of </span><em>Champn</em><span>, you do not need to relax or exhale. You may fd yourself sad about the pa of Griffh’s life and the touchg scen of the old man lost mentia. But you will probably be entirely unaware of the mic, which has passed through the dory circus whout excg them, or you.</span></p><p><em>Champn</em><span> rembl Blanchard’s  prev jazz opera, </span><em>Fire Shut Up My Bon</em><span>, which opened the Met’s season last year. I saw </span><em>Fire</em><span> at Chigo’s Lyric Opera and thought memorable only bee of some superb dance sequenc. </span><em>Champn</em><span> is better, tellg Griffh’s story. He is one of the few boxers to jure an opponent fatally. Benny Paret had mocked Griffh as a “faggot” (</span><em>marin</em><span>) before a fight, and that fight Griffh beat him to a a that rulted Paret’s ath.</span></p><p><span>Even the reviewer for that woke bastn, the New York </span><em>Tim</em><span>, uld not mter enthiasm for Blanchard’s mic. Zachary Woolfe scrib </span><em>Champn</em><span> and </span><em>Fire</em><span> as “more blandly jazzy than they are vivid jazz” (April 11, 2023). In both works, he says, “the orchtra tends to be attractively functnal — a rpet of gently bluy repeatg riffs — rather than an exprsive character s own right.” Woolfe also wr that “the sonic landspe of ‘Champn’ often feels like lh film-style unrsrg, which means that the mic labors to prs forward and scen lger too long, givg the piece a feelg of stagnancy, of slowly snappg s fger place.” </span></p><p><span>The creators did produce some excement. The openg number </span><em>Champn</em><span> is a r street ftival at Griffh’s home, the Virg Islands, wh dozens of dancers leapg about. Later, New York, we see Ee a gym and aga dance tells the story. Men boxg gear sh on stage, pair off, and do the boxer’s bounce, takg short jumps and out on the balls of their feet; they also throw a few uppercuts. Behd them, other boxers do jumpg jacks and smack their glov together over their heads. The scene is a wonrful mix of fse and power, jt what boxg needs to be. The dancers make boxg look like fun, like somethg we might want to do ourselv. My boxg ach loved this move. I showed him a clip of the dancers rehearsal (YouTube) and he says I seem to have improved my footwork as a rult of watchg how the dancers ma their mov. Not every opera pays off the rg!</span></p><p><span>There is too ltle of that excement </span><em>Champn</em><span>. The problem is the libretto by Michael Cristofer. Weak and repet, ignor ccial evince of drama and tensn the boxer’s life.</span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel="nofollow ugc noopener"><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="322" height="486.75666666666666" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a></figure></div><p><span>For example, we don’t know why Griffh wants to fight. It seems that boxg was not his ia. Acrdg to Ron Ross, the boxer’s only bgrapher, Griffh was disvered a hat factory, workg the shippg partment, where his broad shoulrs drew the attentn of a manager wh some boxg ntacts (</span><em>Ne . . . Ten . . . and Out! The Two Worlds of Ee Griffh</em><span>, p. 4). Ross terviewed Griffh the boxer’s old age but adms to havg "nurtured and fluenced" the boxer’s memori. Ross wr the first page of the first chapter Griffh’s voice, entirely fictnalized. The book bends the boxer’s life to the wrer’s needs; the same is te of the opera’s libretto.</span></p><p>The opera do not explore Griffh’s extend reactn to Paret’s ath. We do not learn that the men had a bad history. Griffh and Paret fought three tim 1961 and 1962. In their send fight, Paret took the welterweight tle om Griffh. Paret had lled Griffh a “faggot” more than once. His animosy was not spontaneo, and, ccially, neher was Griffh’s.</p><p><span>The text fails to tablish nflicts si the ma character or to exame his cle after Paret died. The opera’s Griffh, young or old, seems to be a man to whom thgs happen, not a man who choos to do thgs. Th he nnot, by fn, be seen as a hero. Griffh uld not shape his fate: he lacked of self-ntrol. We see this his unmanly failure to rtra himself the rg. Even after he had beaten Paret to an unnsc lump, Griffh ntued to pound him. Griffh is quoted Ross’s book as sayg that he did not hate the man Paret, meang, surely, that Griffh was beatg the man bee of what the man stood for. This harsh retributn for homophobia might, by bolr creators than the men behd </span><em>Champn</em><span>, be seen as a kd of reverse hate crime, a gay man choosg to fight back. That’s real drama.</span></p><p><em>Champn</em><span> mak light of Griffh’s lack of serns, playg as mp. The boxer unrcut his own masculy, and not only wh his fascatn wh women’s hats. (He once ma a hat for an opponent’s wife and prented to her—that’s somethg else bis charmg.) Ross clus a picture of the boxer’s mother rryg him around his drsg room before a fight. This image uld not have helped anybody see Griffh as a ser man or rpect him as a dangero boxer. The libretto se no menace Griffh’s unser behavr, but plaly the danger was there.</span></p><p><span>The opera also ignor Griffh’s strengths, cludg his fah. A year after Paret’s ath Griffh wrote, “I know what is to die—and to be reborn aga.” That's the surprisg first sentence of an article he published </span><em>Boxg and Wrtlg</em><span> (reviewed at my webse). Griffh is referrg to two events. The first is his loss of the welterweight crown to Paret 1961, an event that molished Griffh's boyhood dream of beg an athletic champn. The send event was the fatal fight 1962. Of that event, Griffh wr, “I won back my tle by knockg out Paret, but I lost virtually everythg I had ever gaed life.” Not que. Paret really did lose everythg. Griffh went on to retake the tle, but he felt that he had entered a world he uld never “look the face” aga.</span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel="nofollow ugc noopener"><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="250" height="196" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><span>Paret’s ath rhaped Griffh’s reer (Paret on left, above, fallg at the end of the fight). He fought 80 tim after Paret died, but he acknowledged that he had changed. “I was never the same fighter after that. After that fight, I did enough to w. I would e my jab all the time. I never wanted to hurt the other guy,” said Griffh (quoted an obuary that appeared </span><em>USA Today</em><span>. He ed his jab bee, for most boxer’s, that’s a set-up punch; the cross is the power punch). “I would have qu, but I didn't know how to do anythg else but fight.” Griffh had lost only three tim his 31 fights before Paret’s ath. He then lost 24 of his next 80 fights; he went om losg one 10 to losg or drawg one four.</span></p><p><span>In </span><em>Boxg and Wrtlg</em><span> Griffh emphasized the support he received om fans and boxers. The latter clud Willie Toweel, whom Griffh had knocked out 1960, and who also killed an opponent; and Sugar Ray Robson, a high-flyg champn who was a mol for Griffh. Robson fatally jured an opponent 1947.</span></p><p><span>In his turn, Griffh spired and supported other boxers. Ray Manci fatally jured the Korean boxer Kim D Koo 1982, twenty years after Griffh killed Paret. Two months after Kim’s ath, Manci rumed his workouts at the Tim Square Gym. Acrdg to Manci, “Ee me up to me and he says: ‘Wele back.’ That’s all he said. I said to myself, ‘That's . That do for me’ (see </span><em>The Good Son</em><span> by Mark Kriegel, p. 160). Manci went back to boxg, jt as Griffh had. The boxers who enuraged Griffh knew him; they foced on his iendship and love of boxg, not on his sex life.</span></p><p><em>Champn</em><span> also falsifi s key pot about gay victimhood. In Ross’s book, Griffh says, “I kill a man and most people unrstand and five me. However, I love a man, and to so many people this is an unfiveable s" (p. xiv). No date or place is given for Griffh’s quote.</span></p><p>The opera rewr this statement. “I kill a man and the world fiv me. I love a man and the world wants to kill me,” the elr Griffh sgs. What was an “unfiveable” sexual s on Griffh’s part now be a murro s he imput to others. Blanchard assumed that Griffh himself was the source of this statement; program materials he refers to Griffh’s “tobgraphy.” Griff did not wre an tobgraphy, however, and Ross’s book remas the only bgraphy published. Given Ross's loose e of sourc, is doubtful that the exprsn is the boxer’s own.</p><p>Griffh believed (so Ross suggts) that the world fave him for Paret’s ath, but not for his homosexualy. That was not te. Griffh discs the hate mail he received after Paret's ath. Acrdg to Ross, “Ee uldn't walk down the street whout beg threatened or cursed at.” Paret was a hero to what Ross lls “Cuban/Lat” fans, and they were not the only on who were disgted at Griffh’s performance the fatal fight (see p. 66, for example). This had nothg to do wh Griffh’s sexualy and everythg to do wh his lack of disciple. Also rponsible is the referee who let the terrible beatg take place and who never refereed another fight.</p><p> The opera ignor Griffh’s lack of self-ntrol and patroniz the black victim of homophobia. The facts of the boxer’s life tell a pellg and plex story that the opera’s libretto leav untold. Griffh was fiantly ivolo. Yet he was pable of adly revenge and anger. There are a lot of angry boxers the world, at all levels. Few of them have killed an opponent.</p><p>The opera’s versn of the quote about lovg and killg a man dicts those who thk that murr is preferable to homosexual love. If Griffh did ed love a man, who was ? The opera puts forth no ndidat. No love between the boxer and another man is explored or even suggted.</p><p>One reason is that the script speaks stereotyp and generali. Lovg one man would plite the plot. Lovg “a man” do not. Unlike other elements of the opera, a boxer’s personal relatnships are not plards that n be flashed to the dience like the number signs parad around the rg durg some boxg match.</p><p><span>The opera’s victim-foced narrative is simplistic and the mic is bland. Why then the enthiastic applse? If you’re gog to stand up and cheer after </span><em>Champn</em><span>, ’s bee you’ve seen an opera by a black poser about a black boxer who was also gay. You approve of the topic and that is all you need. Tickets are expensive, the Met is breakg new ground, and you’re supportive. Composers like Rachmanov and Mahler wanted to stimulate, exce, even provoke their dienc. Blanchard and his llaborators merely want to pat their dience on the back.</span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel="nofollow ugc noopener"><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="478" height="293.97" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a></figure></div><p><span>The afternoon’s one source of amement was the stume worn by Met mic director Yannick Nézet-Ségu (above), who nducted. He me out a silky black and whe boxer’s robe, a get-up ma for him by the Met’s stume partment. Before the start of act two he waved to his adorg fans, sportg boxg glov that ncealed the black nail polish we saw durg his termissn terview (a few weeks earlier he nducted </span><em>Lohengr</em><span> wh nails pated light pk; he also changed sweatshirts for each act).</span></p><p><span>The nductor’s stunt was </span><em>Champn</em><span> a nutshell, boxg as an exce to feel bad for boxers and good for ourselv. </span><em>Champn</em><span> has nothg to say about boxg, which serv as wdow-drsg for route pieti about race and gay life. The dience was pleased, but the dience was also cheated. Most left the Met knowg not much more about Griffh’s life— or about boxg—than they knew the day before. An opportuny to image the unn of boxg, jazz, race, and gay love—a marriage ma heaven, if you ask me—me to ltle a work that timidly dumbed down each of s volatile elements.</span></p></div></div><div class="visibily-check"></div><div class="post-footer"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flexGrow--mx4xz ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-jtify-space-between--NvIcg ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-align-center--rSd6h ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-16--TpblU ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-y-16--ohCEm ontend-pencraft-Box-module__borr-top-tail-themed--e17yZ ontend-pencraft-Box-module__borr-bottom-tail-themed--eVwFY post-ufi"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-8--HFpIK"><div class="like-button-ntaer post-ufi-button style-button"><a role="button" class="post-ufi-button 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gay boxer opera

The jazz poser's latt project is an opera based on the life of Ee Griffh, a gay boxer who beme a world champn the 1960s — at a price.

Contents:

MET OPERA TO PRENT TERENCE BLANCHARD’S OPERA ABOUT CLOSETED GAY BOXER 2023

A new opera productn at the Met explor the life and tragic reer of the gay boxer Ee Griffh, a welterweight champn. * gay boxer opera *

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTA Prizefighter’s Double Life, at Madison Square Garn and at StonewallA new opera productn at the Met explor the life and tragic reer of the gay boxer Ee Griffh, a welterweight champn.

Photographs om the personal llectn of Willson Lee Henrson, on the right of the bottom and far right imag, who was iends wh Ee Griffh, Vazquez for The New York TimIn the 1960s, Ee Griffh was a boxg star, known for his speed and punchg power, wh a regular prence at Madison Square neighborhoods near the Garn, he let his other si show, one of flashy outfs and unapologetic swagger, where he equented his favore gay bars and Griffh kept his two worlds separate.

“He was livg a double life, two liv, night and day, ” said Willson Lee Henrson, a gay rights activist who said he met Mr. Griffh early 1969 at the Stonewall Inn, the famo gay bar Greenwich Village, several months before a police raid touched off the Stonewall Rebelln and the morn gay rights boxer, who died 2013 at 75 om kidney failure and plitns of mentia, was known at the Stonewall for his open shirts and gold chas.

BOXG TRAGEDY SPIR OPERA ABOUT GAY BOXER

"Champn" buts St. Louis and looks at a tragic and ltle-known figure gay sports history. * gay boxer opera *

Griffh unleashed a fatal barrage of punch the 12th round agast an opponent who had tnted him wh a homophobic slur. Griffh never shied away om equentg gay clubs. That ma him a source of enarment and pri for the gay muny pecially as police raids, prsure and harassment ntued the late 1960s, said Mr.

“He was a pneer gay rights behd the scen but was never acknowledged for , ” Mr. “He was never given cred by the gay muny or the sports muny, so he missed out on both.

“In the ‘60s, beg gay wasn’t the most popular thg, and beg gay boxg culture was like sacrilege, ” said Michael Bentt, 58, a former world heavyweight champn and an actor who was iendly wh Mr. “I mentned that there was this gay boxer who was an outst many muni and was loved other muni, ” said Mr. Griffh a mockg lisp and lled him “maricón, ” a Spanish anti-gay slur that enraged Mr.

NEW OPERA TELLS STORY OF GAY BOXER EE GRIFFH

The Metropolan Opera will prent s premiere of Terence Blanchard’s first opera, “Champn,” about closeted gay boxer Ee Griffh, April 2023. * gay boxer opera *

”A boxer wh style and panache‘He went to the nightclubs, drag clubs, gay bars and he took all ’Mr.

KILLER PUNCH OF A SECRETLY GAY BOXER

Blanchard's "Champn" -- wh a libretto by Pulzer Prize-wng playwright Michael Cristofer -- is based on the life of former world welterweight and middleweight champn Ee Griffh. Its world premiere at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis on Saturday jt weeks after NBA center Jason Colls beme the first active male pro athlete om one of the four major North Amerin team sports to e out as gay. * gay boxer opera *

Griffh equented gay bars and clubs midtown like L Jard, the Gild Grape and Better Days. “He went to the nightclubs, drag clubs, gay bars and he took all , ” said Jam Robson, the opera’s director. Griffh told The Tim “He was a pneer gay rights behd the scen but was never acknowledged for , ” said Mr.

GAY BOXERS ( BRIEF) AT THE OPERA

Alex Ross on “opera queens” and the history of gay them opera, as well as the recent proliferatn of gay operas, like “Angels Ameri” and “Pl’s Case.” * gay boxer opera *

”The beatg and his drkg hastened his cle, leavg the chiseled champ who was once the toast of the gay clubs now livg a cluttered efficiency apartment on Long Island wh his trophi and champnship belts storage bags. The Metropolan Opera will prent s premiere of Terence Blanchard’s first opera, “Champn, ” about closeted gay boxer Ee Griffh, April 2023 followg the succs of the poser’s “Fire Shut Up My Bon” on the openg night of this season. In “Champn, ” which premiered 2013, Blanchard reunts how an environment of hyper-masculy and homophobia led to that fatal night at Madison Square Garn and how Griffh was hnted by for the rt of his life.

GAY BOXER'S STORY SPIR OPERA OPENG WEEKS AFTER JASON COLLS REVELATN

* gay boxer opera *

His fal Nelson as an unnamed man a gay bar and Ryan Speedo Green as young Ee Howard / Met OperaWhile Act II foc on Griffh’s twilight years and his stggl wh mentia and juri om a btal attack outsi of a gay bar the 1990s, the openg act foc on the boxer’s early life and his rivalry wh Paret. Usg what he’s learned over a -long pivot to posg operas, after makg a name for himself wh stud albums and 30 years’ worth of film sr for Spike Lee, Blanchard add sectns for the productn’s more-than-40-person chos and two new arias, which are played by a full orchtra and jazz ensemble nducted by Yannick Nézet-Ségu, the Metropolan Opera’s first openly gay mic director. "Champn" tells the story of Ee Griffh, a closeted gay boxer an era when gay people were outsts, who ris om obscury to bee world champn, and one of the great tragedi sports history, kills his homophobic archrival the rg.

Louis, tells the story of Griffh, who was gay but did not e out until 2008. Before that life-changg televised fight, a room full of prs and officials, Paret had mocked Griffh wh a rogatory term for homosexual.

THE DECLE OF OPERA QUEENS AND THE RISE OF GAY OPERA

Terence Blanchard's jazz opera 'Champn,' about openly gay boxer Ee Griffh and his famo fight where he killed homophobic opponent Benny "Kid" Paret, is now playg at The Met. * gay boxer opera *

Years later, Griffh's sexualy was revealed after he was nearly killed by a gang outsi a gay bar New York.

As a fighter and a gay man. Griffh is a largely unknown figure to most gays and lbians, yet he is an historic athlete who was at the top of his sport when beg out was impossible.

Griffh was gay, and at the weigh- before the fight, Paret had tnted him, llg him a “marin, ” a rogatory Spanish term, siar to “faggot. He was a black man and an unrdog, and then he was hangg out gay bars and gettg beaten up by thugs.

#FIRSTLOOK: MET OPERA ‘CHAMPN’ CHRONICL GAY BOXER EE GRIFFH – WATCH

”Bentt, the boxer who traed Blanchard, says that Caribbean society is particularly macho and homophobic. Ultimately, the real-life story of bisexual boxer Ee Griffh and the tragic impact of homophobia on his reer might have greater emotnal impact a Broadway-size theater, but ’s certaly a posive jolt to see a mastage opera foc on a Black immigrant om St.

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ OPERA ‘CHAMPN’ CHRONICL GAY BOXER'S PLIGHT

The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken out agast the recent passage of an humane Ugandan law banng homosexualy.

ALLEN’S SUBSTACKSUBSCRIBESIGN {"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","URL":","MAENTYOFPAGE":","HEADLE":"MIC, EXCEMENT, AND THE GAY BOXER","SCRIPTN":"ONE CHEER FOR \U201CCHAMPN\U201D AT THE METROPOLAN OPERA","IMAGE":[{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":"}],"DATEPUBLISHED":"2023-05-14T17:26:47+00:00","DATEMODIFIED":"2023-05-14T17:26:47+00:00","ISACCSIBLEFORFREE":TE,"THOR":[{"@TYPE":"PERSON","NAME":"ALLEN FRANTZEN","URL":","SCRIPTN":"ALLEN IS A RETIRED PROFSOR AND ACTIVE BOXER, THOR OF MORN MASCULY, A GUI FOR MEN (2016) AND BOXG AND MASCULY: FIGHTG TO FD THE WHOLE MAN (2022). HE HAS PUBLISHED MANY BOOKS ON THE MIDDLE AG.","INTIFIER":"ER:68133497","IMAGE":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"}}],"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"ALLEN\U2019S SUBSTACK","URL":","SCRIPTN":"BOXG, BOXG BOOKS, AND MASCULY","TERACTNSTATISTIC":{"@TYPE":"INTERACTNCOUNTER","NAME":"SUBSCRIBERS","TERACTNTYPE":","ERINTERACTNCOUNT":100},"INTIFIER":"PUB:1258890","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"},"IMAGE":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"}}}SHARE THIS POSTMIC, EXCEMENT, AND THE GAY COPY LKFACEBOOKEMAILNOTOTHERMIC, EXCEMENT, AND THE GAY BOXER

In celebratn of Pri Month, gay ngrsman for California’s 42nd ngrsnal district, Robert Garcia, took to the hoe floor last…. We lovers will be headg to California’s sunny Sonoma County to celebrate Gay We Weekend Friday, July 14th through Sunday, …. Champn tells the story of Ee Griffh, a closeted gay boxer -- an era when gay people were outsts --who ris om obscury to bee world champn and, one of the great tragedi sports history, kills his homophobic archrival the rg.

At the weigh- for a 1962 champnship bout at Madison Square Garn, Griffh's Cuban opponent, Benny Paret, tnted him wh an anti-gay slur.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY BOXER OPERA

Champn: Terence Blanchard Is Seekg Support for His Opera About Gay Boxer Ee Griffh .

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