Terence Blanchard has incredible artistic breadth-- one that's extended by his two-act opera, Champion, showing now at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. It has one remaining performance in New Orleans, today at 2:30p, presented by the New Orleans Opera.

Champion is the story of the former welterweight and middleweight boxing champion Emile Griffith. The opera centers around his memory of having punched an opponent, Benny "Kid" Paret, to death in a 1962 title bout. He also confronts nagging questions about his own manhood, being a gay man in a strongly masculine sport.

Find out more about what this unique jazz opera is all about in our footage from the first New Orleans performance (March 9), along with interviews with Blanchard and lead actors/singers.