Lyric Opera's "Champion" - Review by Jeffrey Leibham
****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED During the 2021/2022 season, Lyric Opera of Chicago presented Terence Blanchard's contemporary opera "Fire Shut Up in My Bones" a mere six months after its premiere at the Metropolitan Opera. That production, which was the second opera that Blanchard had ever composed, proved to be a very popular selection with Lyric audiences as well as a huge critical success. While Blanchard was in Chicago for rehearsals of "Fire Shut Up in My Bones," talk quickly turned to presenting his first opera during a future season. Thankfully, that time has now arrived. "Champion," which Blanchard has described as "an opera in jazz" is a triumph. 4 BIG SPOTLIGHTS