Champion in 2022-2023 Was Third James Robinson Staging at Met Opera

Summary: The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Terence Blanchard's Champion in 2022-2023 was the third production directed by James Robinson at Met Opera.

James Robinson, artistic director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis since 2009, debuted his staging of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess as his first Met Opera production in the 2019-2020 season; his production's first revival took place in the 2021-2022 season; Catfish Row sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting by Donald Holder, project design by Luke Halls, choreography by Camille A. Brown and fight direction by David Leong: Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, via Facebook Feb. 20, 2019

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Terence Blanchard's Champion in 2022-2023 added a third opera to American stage director James Robinson's directorial portfolio at the Metropolitan Opera.

James Robinson had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Sep. 23, 2019, along with his new Porgy and Bess production, in the opera company's 55th performance of the southern United Statesian-themed folk opera by American composer and pianist George Gershwin (Sep. 26, 1898-July 11, 1937). Robinson's first Met Opera production numbered as Met Opera's second staging of the fictional Catfish Row-set opera. Nathaniel Merrill (Feb. 8, 1927-Sep. 9, 2008) had debuted his new production of Porgy and Bess in the opera's Metropolitan Opera premiere Wednesday, Feb. 6, 1985. The American opera and stage director had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Nov. 3, 1956, as stage director in the opera company's 527th performance of La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

In its premiere season, 1984-1985, Merrill's Porgy and Bess staging had received 16 performances. The opening through 16th, closing performances were held Wednesday, Feb. 6, 1985; Saturday, Feb. 9; Tuesday, Feb. 12; Friday, Feb. 15; Thursday, Feb. 21; Saturday, Feb. 23; Monday, Feb. 25; Friday, March 1; Thursday, March 7; Saturday, March 9; Friday, March 15; Monday, March 18; Saturday, March 23; Thursday, March 28; Saturday, March 30; and Thursday, April 4.

Merrill's Porgy and Bess staging experienced three revivals. The first revival, with 16 performances, took place in the 1985-1986 season. The second and third revivals, held consecutively in seasons 1989-1990 and 1990-1991, received 12 and 10 performances, respectively.

In its debut season, 2019-2020, Robinson's new production of Porgy and Bess originally was scheduled for 14 performances. The opening through 14th performances occurred Monday, Sep. 23, 2019; Friday, Sep. 27; Monday, Sep. 30; Saturday, Oct. 5; Thursday, Oct. 10; Sunday, Oct. 13; Wednesday, Oct. 16; Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020; Saturday, Jan. 11; Wednesday, Jan. 15; Saturday, Jan. 18; Friday, Jan. 24; Tuesday, Jan. 28; and Saturday, Feb. 1.

The Metropolitan Opera announced via Twitter Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, the addition of three dates to the season's scheduled 14 performances of Porgy and Bess. The 14th through 17th, closing performances were given Tuesday, Feb. 4; Wednesday, Feb. 12; and Saturday, Feb. 15. After skipping the following season, 2020-2021, Robinson's Porgy and Bess staging was revived in the 2021-2022 season. The first revival received 13 performances. Opening through 13th, closing performances were scheduled on Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021; Wednesday, Nov. 3; Saturday, Nov. 6; Wednesday, Nov. 10; Saturday, Nov. 13; Thursday, Nov. 18; Sunday, Nov. 21; Wednesday, Nov. 24; Saturday, Nov. 27; Wednesday, Dec. 1; Saturday, Dec. 4; Thursday, Dec. 9; and Sunday, Dec. 12.

James Robinson’s Porgy and Bess production team comprises Michael Yeargan, set designer; Catherine Zuber, costume designer; Donald Holder, lighting designer; Luke Halls, projection designer; Camille A. Brown, choreographer; and David Leong, fight director. American choreographer Camille A. Brown and American fight director David Leong had made their Met Opera debuts Monday, Sep. 23, 2019, along with director James Robinson and his new production, in the opera company's 55th performance of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.

American opera and theater designer Michael Yeargan had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, March 11, 1993, in the opera company's 53rd performance of Ariadne auf Naxos by German late Romantic and early modern composer Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864-Sep. 8, 1949). England-born American costume designer Catherine "Cathy" Zuber had made her Met Opera debut Friday, Nov. 10, 2006, in the opera company's 551st performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by 19th-century Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868). American designer Donald Holder had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Oct. 8, 2004, in the opera company's 343rd performance of The Magic Flute / Die Zauberflöte by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791). British projection designer Luke Halls had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Sep. 21, 2015, in the opera company's 326th performance of Otello by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

American stage director James Robinson debuted his new production of Terence Blanchard's Fire Shut Up In My Bones, which he co-directed with the Porgy and Bess and Fire productions' choreographer, Camille A. Brown, in the 2021-2022 season as his first Blanchard opera and his second Met Opera production; sets by Allen Moyer, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Christopher Akerlind and projection design by Greg Emetaz: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter Aug. 9, 2021

James Robinson added a second opera, Fire Shut Up In My Bones by American jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard (born March 13, 1962), to his Met Opera portfolio in the 2021-2022 season. He co-directed the production with his Porgy and Bess choreographer, Camille A. Brown, who also choreographed Fire Shut Up In My Bones as her second choreographed Met Opera production.

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Fire Shut Up In My Bones took place Monday, Sep. 27, 2021. Blanchard's self-described "opera in jazz" (Susan Saccoccia, The Bay State Banner, Oct. 26, 2021) received eight performances in the 2021-2022 season. The second through eighth, closing performances took place Friday, Oct. 1; Monday, Oct. 4; Friday, Oct. 8; Wednesday, Oct. 13; Saturday, Oct. 16; Tuesday, Oct. 19; and Saturday, Oct. 23.

Robinson and Brown's Fire production team comprises Allen Moyer, set designer; Paul Tazewell, costume designer; Christopher Akerlind, lighting designer; and Greg Emetaz, projection designer. Camille A. Brown doubles as Fire's co-director and choreographer. American projection designer Greg Emetaz made his Met Opera debut Monday, Sep. 27, 2021, along with the new production, in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Fire Shut Up In My Bones.

American set designer Allen Moyer had made his Met Opera debut Wednesday, May 2, 2007, in the opera company's 83rd performance of Orfeo ed Euridice by German classical composer Christoph von Gluck (July 2, 1714-Nov. 15, 1787). American costume designer Paul Tazewell had made his Met Opera debut Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011, in the opera company's 734th performance of Faust by French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893). American lighting designer Christopher Akerlind had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Nov. 10, 2006, in the opera company's 551st performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868). American projection designer Greg Emetaz made his Met Opera debut in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Robinson and Brown's production of Blanchard's Fire Shut Up In My Bones.

In the 2022-2023 season, James Robinson added a second Blanchard opera, Champion, to his Met Opera portfolio. Robinson's third Met Opera production received nine performances. The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Champion took place Monday, April 10, 2023. The second through ninth, closing performances were held Friday, April 14; Tuesday, April 18; Saturday, April 22; Tuesday, April 25; Saturday matinee, April 29; Thursday, May 4; Monday, May 8; and Saturday, May 13.

Robinson's Champion production team comprises Allen Moyer, set designer; Montana Levi Blanco, costume designer; Donald Holder, lighting designer; Greg Emetaz, projection designer; and Camille A. Brown, choreographer. American designer Montana Levi Blanco had made his Met Opera debut in Champion's Metropolitan Opera premiere Monday, April 10, 2023.

The 2023-2024 Met Opera season's roster includes one of James Robinson's second production, Fire Shut Up In My Bones, according to the Metropolitan Opera's website. The opera's performances in the 2023-2024 season will mark the first revival of James Robinson and Camille A. Brown's production.

The 2022-2023 season's Metropolitan Opera premiere of Terence Blanchard's Champion numbers as James Robinson's second Blanchard opera and as his third Met Opera production; sets by Allen Moyer, costumes by Montana Levi Blanco, lighting by Donald Holder, projection design by Greg Emetaz and choreography by Camille A. Brown: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter April 5, 2023

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

James Robinson, artistic director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis since 2009, debuted his staging of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess as his first Met Opera production in the 2019-2020 season; his production's first revival took place in the 2021-2022 season; Catfish Row sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting by Donald Holder, project design by Luke Halls, choreography by Camille A. Brown and fight direction by David Leong: Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, via Facebook Feb. 20, 2019, @ https://www.facebook.com/OperaTheatre/posts/otsl-artistic-director-james-robinson-makes-his-debut-as-director-of-porgy-and-b/10161429095025176/

American stage director James Robinson debuted his new production of Terence Blanchard's Fire Shut Up In My Bones, which he co-directed with the Porgy and Bess and Fire productions' choreographer, Camille A. Brown, in the 2021-2022 season as his first Blanchard opera and his second Met Opera production; sets by Allen Moyer, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Christopher Akerlind and projection design by Greg Emetaz: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter Aug. 9, 2021, @ https://twitter.com/metopera/status/1424775596735881219

The 2022-2023 season's Metropolitan Opera premiere of Terence Blanchard's Champion numbers as James Robinson's second Blanchard opera and as his third Met Opera production; sets by Allen Moyer, costumes by Montana Levi Blanco, lighting by Donald Holder, projection design by Greg Emetaz and choreography by Camille A. Brown: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter April 5, 2023, @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1643763763886141446

For further information:

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"Debuts: James Robinson, Camille A. Brown, Frederick Ballentine, Chauncey Packer, Reginald Smith, Jr., Jamez McCorkle, Grant Neale, Bobby Mittelstadt, Damien Geter, Chanáe Curtis, David Leong, Arthur Woodley, Michael Lewis, Neo Randall, Jonathan Tuzo." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357253 New Production Porgy and Bess {55} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/23/2019.
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"Debuts: L'ubica Vargicová, Volker Vogel, Kwangchul Youn, Anna Christy, Aiden Bowman, Jason Goldberg, Lev Pakman, Julia Welsh, Julie Taymor, Donald Holder, Michael Curry, Mark Dendy." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351036 New Production Die Zauberflöte {343} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/08/2004. (Debuts: L'ubica Vargicová, Volker Vogel, Kwangchul Youn, Anna Christy, Aiden Bowman, Jason Goldberg, Lev Pakman, Julia Welsh, Julie Taymor, Donald Holder, Michael Curry, Mark Dendy Review). Metropolitan Opera House October 8, 2004 New Production.
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Available via Twitter @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1643763763886141446

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "The wait is over! Tickets for the 2021–22 season—opening with the historic Met premiere of @T_Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones—are on sale now. Explore the full season: http://bit.ly/3x9avEG. Eric Woolsey / Opera Theatre of St. Louis." Twitter. Aug. 9, 2021.
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