“Champion” Opera, Celebrating Boxing Legend Emile Griffith, to Broadcast on WTJX-TV

Viewers of WTJX-TV Channel 12 are set to experience a profound operatic rendition of a sports legend’s life story with the broadcast of “Champion”. This compelling opera by Terence Blanchard, a six-time Grammy Award-winning composer, which made its debut at the Metropolitan Opera earlier in the year, recounts the life of Emile Griffith, a native of St. Thomas and esteemed boxer, and is scheduled for airing this coming Sunday.

The opera, “Champion”, explores the multifaceted life of Griffith. It portrays his modest start as a hatmaker and follows his ascent to become a celebrated world boxing champion. It boldly confronts a significant and somber moment in sports history: the fateful match in which Griffith, then a closeted bisexual, delivered a fatal blow to his openly homophobic rival.

Featuring the talented bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green, the opera presents the younger Emile Griffith’s journey through the challenges of the boxing world and his internal conflicts. Eric Owens, another revered bass-baritone, embodies the older Griffith, who is depicted as haunted by his past. The production is further enriched by performances from soprano Latonia Moore, playing the role of Emelda Griffith, Griffith’s estranged mother, and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe as Kathy Hagan, a bar owner.

The baton for this opera is wielded by the renowned conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. “Champion” marks Blanchard’s second opera to premiere at the Met and reunites director James Robinson with choreographer Camille A. Brown for a powerful staging.

The premiere of “Champion” on WTJX-TV, Channel 12, is slated for Sunday, November 5 at 2:30 p.m. Audiences in the U.S. Virgin Islands are invited to tune in through multiple avenues, including Viya Cable, Dish Network, and traditional antenna reception. Additionally, the opera will be accessible via the free WTJX mobile application for both Apple and Android devices, as well as on the PBS Video app. The latter enables streaming across a host of devices, such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, and VIZIO, ensuring a variety of options for viewers to enjoy this stirring portrayal of a boxing icon’s legacy.