Double the drama: Opera Louisiane wraps season with D.H. Lawrence-Muhammad Ali productions

The story pans out as an intimate, psychological look at love, luck and greed.

“We have some cast members who are in both operas,” Music Director Michael Borowitz said. “Hope Briggs, who sang the lead in our 2015 production of ‘Madama Butterfly,’ is back playing the mother in ‘Rocking Horse’ and Muhammad Ali’s mother, Odessa Clay, in ‘Approaching Ali.’ So, it’s a fun turnaround for her.” 

After an intermission, the Ali story begins with young writer Davis Miller, played by baritone Scott Purcell, who grows up with Ali, played by bass-baritone Brandon Coleman, as his hero. He jumps on the opportunity to visit with the fighter at his mother’s home in Louisville, Kentucky.

“Ali used to write his own poetry, and he’d recite that poetry in his interviews,” Borowitz said. “This is the basis of the story about Ali and how he changed this young writer’s life.”

The opera was written by D.J. Sparr, Mark Campbell and Davis Miller, and both productions are directed by Jonathan De Los Santos.

“I think the opera pays tribute to Ali, because against all of the odds against him and everything that he had to deal with, and then adding the Parkinson’s on top of that, he  remained absolutely strong,” Borowitz said. “And it’s a great story for us — a really uplifting and positive vibe piece.”

Coleman, as Ali, will appear in his boxing gloves and trademark Everlast boxing shorts in the show.

“It’s not all about boxing, but there’s a little bit of boxing in it,” Borowitz said. “We have a wonderful boxing coach from here in Baton Rouge who’s taken the actors through their paces, and our Ali, Brandon Coleman, is an athlete, so there will be some realism with that.”

Speaking of realism, “Approaching Ali” is a true story, and the writer portrayed in the story will attend one of the performances.

“Davis Miller will also be participating in a question-and-answer session while he’s here,” Borowitz said. “In the meantime, Scott Purcell, who will be portraying him, is a doctoral candidate here at LSU with a really world class voice, and I knew when we were doing this piece that we would want him for the part. He’s just knocking that out of the park. It’s really amazing.”