Approaching Ali

{{Infobox opera

| name = Approaching Ali

| image =

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| composer = D. J. Sparr

| librettist = Mark Campbell and Davis Miller

| based_on = {{based on|The Tao of Muhammad Ali|Davis Miller}}

| premiere_date = {{start date|2013|06|08}}

| premiere_location = Washington National Opera, Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.

}}

Approaching Ali is an opera by composer D. J. Sparr and librettists Mark Campbell and Davis Miller. The inspiration for the opera comes from Miller's story "My Dinner With Ali" and his book The Tao of Muhammad Ali that related the friendship of the writer with the boxer Muhammad Ali.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/11/arts/music/approaching-ali-by-d-j-sparr-at-kennedy-center.html |title=New Ring For Legend Of Boxing: Opera Stage |first=Vivien |last=Schweitzer |date=June 10, 2013 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 12, 2019 |archive-date=May 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512121335/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/11/arts/music/approaching-ali-by-d-j-sparr-at-kennedy-center.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://eu.citizen-times.com/story/life/2015/11/27/asheville-man-writes-relationship-ali/75936856/ |title=Asheville man writes of relationship with Ali |first=Dale |last=Neal |work=Asheville Citizen-Times |date=November 27, 2015 |access-date=May 12, 2019 |archive-date=September 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924235651/https://www.citizen-times.com/story/life/2015/11/27/asheville-man-writes-relationship-ali/75936856/ |url-status=live }}

Approaching Ali: A Chamber Opera in One Act had its world premiere at the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., on June 8, 2013, under the directorship of Nicole A. Watson. The opera was commissioned by Washington National Opera.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/approaching-ali-the-second-stage-of-wnos-effort-to-foster-new-american-opera/2013/06/06/f2f4b8ee-cdcd-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story.html?noredirect=on|author=Anne Midgette|title=Approaching Ali, the second stage of WNO's effort to foster new American opera|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=June 7, 2013|access-date=February 27, 2019}} In 2015, the opera was staged by North Carolina Opera.{{cite web |url=https://indyweek.com/music/features/approaching-ali-story-boxer-inspired-struggling-writer-north-carolina-opera-fights-weight-class/ |title=With Approaching Ali, the story of how the boxer inspired a struggling writer, the North Carolina Opera fights above its weight class |first=Chris |last=Vitiello |date=January 28, 2015 |work=The Independent Weekly |access-date=February 27, 2019 |archive-date=February 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228004255/https://indyweek.com/music/features/approaching-ali-story-boxer-inspired-struggling-writer-north-carolina-opera-fights-weight-class/ |url-status=live }} In 2023, the opera was staged by both Opera Las Vegas and Opera Louisiane.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}