''Approaching Ali'' is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

by composer

D. J. Sparr D. J. Sparr (Donald Joseph Sparr, Jr. born October 18, 1975) is an American composer and electric guitar soloist. He is influenced by impressionism and postminimalism, and is one of the preeminent composer-performers of his generation. Sparr's nota ...

and librettists Mark Campbell and

Davis Miller Davis Miller is an American author, notable for a series of works that combine reportage and autobiography. Miller's books include ''The Tao of Muhammad Ali'' and '' The Tao of Bruce Lee: a martial arts memoir'', both of which have been number-o ...

. The inspiration for the opera comes from Miller's story "My Dinner With Ali" and his book ''

The Tao of Muhammad Ali ''The Tao of Muhammad Ali'' is a 1997 book by the American author Davis Miller Davis Miller is an American author, notable for a series of works that combine reportage and autobiography. Miller's books include ''The Tao of Muhammad Ali'' and '' ...

'' that related the friendship of the writer with the boxer

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...

. ''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. In 2015, the opera was staged by North Carolina Opera. In 2023, the opera was staged by both Opera Las Vegas and Opera Louisiane.

Roles

Synopsis

The story is about a boy in

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

in the early 1960s who is galvanized to overcome some traumatic childhood events when he sees

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 Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

References

External links

''Approaching Ali''
djsparr.com (archived) 2013 operas English-language operas Operas Operas set in the 20th century Operas based on novels Operas based on real people Cultural depictions of Muhammad Ali {{English-opera-stub