Dozens of Harlem students at Brotherhood Sister Sol sat in awe Wednesday of some of the most accomplished musicians and athletes in the world.
Ryan Speedo Green, the lead in the opera ‘Champion,’ brought his performance, set to debut at the Met, right to the heart of Hamilton Heights.
To bring the second Black-written, Black opera at the Met Opera here to our space at Brotherhood Sister Sol so that our young people can be exposed to that world,” said Khary Lazzarre-White, the executive director and co-founder of Brotherhood Sister Sol.
Seven-time Grammy Award-winning musician Terence Blanchard wrote the play about the life of boxing World Champion Emile Griffith, played by Ryan Speedo Green.
“If they encounter these productions, they’ll see themselves on the stage, they’ll see things from the culture they can understand,” Blanchard said.
Blanchard, Green and former heavyweight world boxing champion Michael Bentt spent time discussing their own paths to success and lessons along the way with the youth of course. They shared insight about the Champion, where the worlds of music and boxing collide.
“I encourage kids to engage in boxing practices because it teaches you self-discipline and the overcoming of pain.” — Michael Bentt
