美国国家公共电台 NPR--Terence Blanchard's opera on the troubled life of boxer Emile Griffith premieres

Terence Blanchard's opera on the troubled life of boxer¹ Emile Griffith premieres

Transcript²

Terence Blanchard's work based on the troubled life of boxing champion Emile Griffith premieres at the Metropolitan³ Opera. (This piece originally aired on Weekend Edition on April 8, 2023.)

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Terence Blanchard made history last season when his opera "Fire Shut Up In My Bones" was the first work by a Black composer staged by the Metropolitan Opera. Now another Blanchard opera is opening at the Met tonight. It’s a retelling of the dramatic story of boxer Emile Griffith. It’s called "Champion." Tom Vitale has this preview.

TOM VITALE, BYLINE⁴: "Champion" was jazz composer Terence Blanchard's first opera. It premiered 10 years ago in St. Louis, followed by productions in San Francisco, Washington and Boston. But at the Met, says Blanchard, the staging has ratcheted up to another level.

TERENCE BLANCHARD: I can't even count the number of people we have in the chorus this time. We have 20 to 30 dancers. You put all of that together, plus a full orchestra and jazz ensemble⁵, it makes for a huge production.

VITALE: And it's a production that includes a full-size boxing ring on the Met stage. "Champion" tells the story of Emile Griffith, a closeted gay boxer in an era when gay people were outcasts, who rises from obscurity to become world champion, and in one of the great tragedies in sports history, kills his homophobic archrival in the ring. The centerpiece of the opera is an aria⁶ called "What Makes A Man A Man," sung by Ryan Speedo Green in the role of Emile Griffith.

(SOUNDBITE OF OPERA, "CHAMPION")

RYAN SPEEDO GREEN: (Singing) What makes this man a man? Is it the life he's lived?

VITALE: "Champion" is told in flashbacks. An older Emile Griffith, suffering from dementia, looks back at his career, filled with regret for the death he caused in the ring. Terence Blanchard says his opera is ultimately about redemption and forgiveness.

BLANCHARD: What he said in his autobiography⁷ really blew me away. He said, I killed a man, and the world forgave me. But yet, I loved a man, and the world wants to kill me. And to me, everything that I've written for this opera is centered around that moment because we have to get past all of this, you know? It's time for us to grow up as a society.

(SOUNDBITE OF TERENCE BLANCHARD'S "INTERLUDE")

VITALE: The Metropolitan Opera has commissioned Terence Blanchard to compose a new opera. He says he hasn't picked the topic yet.

For NPR News, I'm Tom Vitale in New York.

1 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 ensemble   

n.合奏(唱)组；全套服装；整体，总效果

参考例句：

• We should consider the buildings as an ensemble.我们应把那些建筑物视作一个整体。
• It is ensemble music for up to about ten players,with one player to a part.它是最多十人演奏的合奏音乐，每人担任一部分。

6 aria   

n.独唱曲，咏叹调

参考例句：

• This song takes off from a famous aria.这首歌仿效一首著名的咏叹调。
• The opera was marred by an awkward aria.整部歌剧毁在咏叹调部分的不够熟练。

7 autobiography   

n.自传

参考例句：

• He published his autobiography last autumn.他去年秋天出版了自己的自传。
• His life story is recounted in two fascinating volumes of autobiography.这两卷引人入胜的自传小说详述了他的生平。