Approaching Ali
Approaching Ali | |
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Opera by D. J. Sparr | |
Librettist | Mark Campbell and Davis Miller |
Based on | The Tao of Muhammad Ali by Davis Miller |
Premiere | June 8, 2013 (2013-06-08) Washington National Opera, Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. |
Approaching Ali is an opera by composer D. J. Sparr and librettists Mark Campbell and Davis Miller. The inspiration for the opera comes from Miller's story "My Dinner With Ali" and his book The Tao of Muhammad Ali that related the friendship of the writer with the boxer Muhammad Ali.[1][2]
Approaching Ali: A Chamber Opera in One Act had its world premiere at the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., on June 8, 2013, under the directorship of Nicole A. Watson. The opera was commissioned by Washington National Opera.[3] In 2015, the opera was staged by North Carolina Opera.[4] In 2023, the opera was staged by both Opera Las Vegas and Opera Louisiane.[citation needed]
Roles
Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, June 8, 2013 Conductor: Steven Jarvi |
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Davis Miller | baritone | David Kravitz |
Muhammad Ali | bass | Soloman Howard |
Odessa Clay | soprano | Aundi Moore |
Young Davis | boy soprano | Ethan McKelvain |
Roy Miller | tenor | Tim Augustin |
Sara Miller | mezzo-soprano | Catherine Martin |
Synopsis
The story is about a boy in North Carolina in the early 1960s who is galvanized to overcome some traumatic childhood events when he sees Muhammad Ali on television. More than twenty years later, as a writer on the brink of middle age, he now seeks to rekindle that spirit by visiting his boyhood hero in person at his mother's home in Louisville, Kentucky.
References
- ^ Schweitzer, Vivien (June 10, 2013). "New Ring For Legend Of Boxing: Opera Stage". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ Neal, Dale (November 27, 2015). "Asheville man writes of relationship with Ali". Asheville Citizen-Times. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ Anne Midgette (June 7, 2013). "Approaching Ali, the second stage of WNO's effort to foster new American opera". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
- ^ Vitiello, Chris (January 28, 2015). "With Approaching Ali, the story of how the boxer inspired a struggling writer, the North Carolina Opera fights above its weight class". The Independent Weekly. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
External links
- Approaching Ali, djsparr.com (archived)
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- Boxing at the 1960 Summer Olympics
- Clay vs. Hunsaker
- Clay vs. Siler
- Clay vs. Esperti
- Clay vs. Robinson
- Clay vs. Fleeman
- Clay vs. Clark
- Clay vs. Sabedong
- Clay vs. Johnson
- Clay vs. Miteff
- Clay vs. Besmanoff
- Clay vs. Banks
- Clay vs. Warner
- Clay vs. Logan
- Clay vs. Daniels
- Clay vs. Lavorante
- Moore vs. Clay
- Clay vs. Powell
- Clay vs. Jones
- Clay vs. Cooper
- Liston vs. Clay
- Ali vs. Liston II
- Ali vs. Patterson
- Ali vs. Chuvalo
- Ali vs. Cooper II
- Ali vs. London
- Ali vs. Mildenberger
- Ali vs. Williams
- Ali vs. Terrell
- Ali vs. Folley
- Ali vs. Quarry
- Ali vs. Bonavena
- Fight of the Century (Frazier vs. Ali I)
- Ali vs. Ellis
- Ali vs. Mathis
- Ali vs. Blin
- Ali vs. M. Foster
- Ali vs. Chuvalo II
- Ali vs. Quarry II
- Ali vs. Lewis
- Ali vs. Patterson II
- Ali vs. B. Foster
- Ali vs. Bugner
- Ali vs. Norton
- Norton vs. Ali II
- Ali vs. Lubbers
- Ali vs. Frazier II
- The Rumble in the Jungle (Foreman vs. Ali)
- Ali vs. Wepner
- Ali vs. Lyle
- Ali vs. Bugner II
- Thrilla in Manila (Ali vs. Frazier III)
- Ali vs. Coopman
- Ali vs. Young
- Ali vs. Dunn
- Ali vs. Norton III
- Ali vs. Evangelista
- Ali vs. Shavers
- Ali vs. Spinks
- Spinks vs. Ali II
- Holmes vs. Ali
- Ali vs. Berbick
Books |
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Documentaries |
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Other films and series |
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Music and performance |
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Comics and video games |
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associates
- Chuck Bodak (trainer, cutman)
- Angelo Dundee (cornerman)
- Drew Bundini Brown (trainer, cornerman)
- Ferdie Pacheco (personal physician, cornerman)
- Joe E. Martin (first trainer)
- Archie Moore (trainer)
- George Dillman (instructor)
- Jabir Herbert Muhammad (manager)
- Luis Sarria (trainer, cutman, masseur)
- Joe Frazier (opponent, friend)
- Richard Durham (autobiography co-writer)
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