Michael Jackson's "Cry" on "Invincible" cast out of SF; UC Berkeley's Young Musicians Program

June 27, 12:52 PMSF Opera ExaminerCindy Warner

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Young mezzo Kendra Dodd sings at Open Opera in Berkeley

Michael Jackson cast his video Cry out of San Francisco in October of 2001 for Invincible. As a music video extra I lipsynced as I held hands in a chain through a redwood forest near Santa Cruz.  The drowsy bus load of extras riding in secrecy from San Francisco into the mysterious wee hours of the morning before sunrise, into the forest, murmured "Blair Witch Project II".  We disappeared alone into the silence and mist.  Our cell phones went out.  We were entering Michael Jackson's world.

Redwoods, a symbol of longevity and strength and shelter.   God's gift, the power and purity of nature.  It was a sign.  We needed a sign.

We had been handed a photocopied page of lyrics before we left the parking lot at Red's on the Embarcadero under the Bay Bridge.  Cry by Michael Jackson. 

Nancy Hayes had cast the video out of San Francisco and she posts Cry on her website at http://www.hayescasting.com/michael_jackson-cry_10.23.01/. 

Here it is from Youtube.

The song sounds spiritual. Indeed Cry gathers momentum as those standing together in silence from the sea to oak studded hills to urban streets begin to sing together and then to clap in time to the music as if in church.  Young, old, Black, White, male, female . . . we all rock as Michael sings the song's final phrases and whispers Change the World:

We can change the world if we call cry tonight.

It starts out with this chorus and it’s all coming back to me now:

You can change the world
You can touch the sky
You’re the chosen one

You can find the song at http://www.metrolyrics.com/cry-lyrics-michael-jackson.html

Somebody shakes when the wind blows
Somebody’s missing a friend
Hold on
Somebody’s lacking a hero
And they have not a clue when it’s all born again

Stories buried and untold
Someone is hiding the truth
Hold on
When will this mystery unfold

Will the sun ever shine
In the blind man’s eyes when he cries

You can change the world
I can’t do it by myself, oh no
You can touch the sky
Gonna take somebody’s help
You’re the chosen one
I’m gonna need some kind of sign

If we all cry at the same time tonight . . .

Michael isn't the only one to have humble beginnings.  Yesterday I heard on the street things like

Michael was before Obama. 

That was at a mall in my hometown of San Leandro, a working class town of little three bedroom tract homes.   The kids all grew up together and went to Marina High School (Go Titans!).  We now turn fifty together, wishing each other Happy Birthday on Facebook.

As for women with humble beginnings, Sunday, I plan to go to the San Francisco Opera house to the signing by Anna Netrebko at the opera shop. The legend, former Merolini and international superstar began her career sweeping the floors of an opera house.  The more humble one's start the greater one's triumph? 

Moreover, last night I met David Tigner and Ellen St. Thomas, who bring music to the people and young people to the music. I went to a modest café in Balboa Park called Caffe Melanio after it’s warm and handsome Argentinian owner, Melanio Duarte. He comes out from the kitchen and takes orders personally greeting his neighbors and having the singers perform Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary. Ellen, who started Open Opera, sang and her voice careened off the walls and the ceiling even though she was feeling under the weather.  Here are some sunny pictures from June 20:  Open Opera June.

David helps run a program for gifted yet income challenged musicians, young people from single parent homes for example. Like me. I went to UC Berkeley on grants and scholarships myself. This program though supports high school students mainly and focuses on music, citizenship and academia. It’s education through music. Marsalis did a workshop, Flicka von Stade too, among other notables.

Here are Kendra and Nicole.

Nicole Raynor-Rodriguez and Kendra Dodd perform "Ist ein Traum, kann nicht wirklich sein" from "Der Rosenkavalier" by Strauss at Live Oak Park, Berkeley, CA, accompanied by James Meredith on piano.

Need a breather?

On a cliffside redwood bench, Berkeley fire trail, Strawberry Canyon . . .

I know for myself just meeting somebody of accomplishment makes the goal attainable.   At least something a mortal can do. Personal inspiration becomes critical when somebody comes from an underprivileged background with little real contact or guidance or mentoring, yet so much to discourage. I think that’s how I came to run a few marathons when I graduated from Berkeley, I met a couple of marathon runners. So I would head through the redwood grove in Strawberry Canyon and along the firetrails.

Many years post graduation I had the campus place a redwood bench at the cliff when vandals rolled the first one into the ravine. I waited for a redwood to fall in Redwood Park and campus labor carved it into a bench and hauled it to the cliff and installed it with a panorama of the bay and three bridges.

Immediately lovers started carving their initials in the redwood. Somebody tell me if you have seen the bench lately?  That was twenty years ago.  Is there room for mine?

Meanwhile I took some wonderful pictures of the young singers at Caffe Melanio last night along with David Tigner their teacher and Melanio Duarte their host in his white chef's apron and crisp white linen shirt.   Will post them here this week after I see American and southern belle Elizabeth Futral perform in La Traviata on Monday.

Note also Books Inc. on Van Ness Avenue near the opera house will host a talk on the psychological implications of La Traviata at 5:30 on Sunday.

Notably Nicole at Caffe Melanio sang from the true story of The Ballad of Baby Doe, who also died alone after society refused to accept her, considering her a homewrecker after she married a silver baron who lost it all. David Tigner said Baby Doe died alone and freezing in Nevada City. Berkeley Opera performs Baby Doe in July and Carter and I will be going, opens July 11.  No time to waste.  Do those things you want to do before you die.

Carter would you like to see my redwood bench in Strawberry Canyon?

For more info:  www.OpenOpera.net, www.SFOpera.com, www.BerkeleyOpera.org 

More coverage on the death of Michael Jackson
http://www.examiner.com/category-michael_jackson.html

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