Blessed are the weird people…

SON RAFI, HIS BEAUTIFUL CHANDRA, AND ME

My San Francisco kids visited at Xmas. It turned out to be a White one and Rafi, Chandra, and grandson Remy loved walking in the snow. (It doesn’t snow in S. F.) On one of their many excursions, they passed a sign in my neighbour John’s window. Rafi, of course, had to take a photo of it.

John is one of those special, interesting and multi-talented individuals who is interested in everything and everyone. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to know him, but what I like best about John is his kindness to others — including me.

I first saw John acting onstage when I was writing a column covering the arts. Aside from that his photography is so beautiful, if I had any more room on my walls, I’d try to purchase one from him if he’d sell it. What else does he do well? I don’t at all know because the guy never brags. I asked John if he had written the words in the sign below. He said he hadn’t. If you know who did, do let me know.

In case the photo of the sign is difficult for you to read, this is what it says:

B L E S S E D
* A R E T H E *
Weird People
The Poets & Misfits
T H E A R T I S T S
T H E W R I T E R S
& MUSIC MAKERS
The dreamers & the
O U T S I D E R S
For they force us to see
THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY

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Porgy and Bess — the opera

Many important issues were covered on Broadway in those 1930s musicals — issues which society would not have been comfortable confronting in other ways. Just as comedy was, and continues to be, used to help us deal with the unbearable, musicals often presented audiences with differing views than their own. Audiences were thus encouraged to look at and rethink their own attitudes.

 

 

‘Porgy and Bess’ the first and only opera created by the famous American Gershwin brothers, was written and first performed in 1935. Unfortunately, George died of a brain tumor in 1937, so no more operas followed. The magnificent songs alone make it worth seeing, however, this masterpiece is so much more than only beautiful music.

 

Eric Owens is Porgy and Angel Blue performs Bess (The Gershwins would have been pleased by the casting)

 

 

George Gershwin, 1898-1937

The Gershwin brothers, whose parents

Ira Gershwin, 1896-1983

immigrated to the U.S. from Russia, like my own — for good reason, well understood discrimination, prejudice, antisemitism — and racism. For this opera, they insisted that all performers appearing in black roles, be black. This at a time when opera singers in the U.S. were white only and using white performers in black face was common.

 

Marian Anderson 1897-1993

 

 

Contralto Marian Anderson waited until 1955 to be able to perform in a Metropolitan Opera. Before that, she performed in concerts in Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

The libretto of Porgy and Bess, set in 1920‘s South Carolina, makes a powerful statement regarding the vulnerability of the black community’s attempts at survival. All this years before Dr. Martin Luther King came along. Shamefully, the struggle still continues today.

But, if all you want are songs, Porgy and Bess has glorious songs: ‘Summertime’. ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’, ‘I Got Plenty O’Nothin’, and then some. Definitely worth seeing! (I saw the Metropolitan’s Live Broadcast at a local theatre, and yes, all black roles were performed by black artists — as the Gershwins would have wanted..)

My own ring story

photo by Chandra

I’d have thoroughly enjoyed this costume

My mask ring, photo by Samantha

jewelry ring through the years I covered the arts for newspapers in L.A. and Vancouver. I did have a collection of mask earrings to wear to performances, but I’d have worn the ring too. These days I seldom have occasion to wear it, however I do whenever I go to the opera. Then it seems right and I enjoy thinking about how I came to have it.

When I’ve traveled, I’ve often wanted to approach a stranger in the street and ask if I could provide coffee or tea and cake if they’d invite me to have it at their home. I wanted to see how locals lived. Therefore, when Tai Chi pal, Peter Lear, had friends visiting from China, I invited them over.

 

 Tai Chi participants, L-R: Carol, Judy, me, Donna, back: Carla & Peter, both now gone

Peter, like me, had a special interest in China and Chinese culture. He could even speak and read Mandarin and read the local Chinese newspapers. Peter’s visitors gave me this ring but it always makes me think of Peter, who is now gone but whom I so enjoyed knowing.

Japanese Noh Theatre

It seems masks have been used

Chinese opera mask

on stage throughout many cultures since antiquity. The ancient Greeks used them. Chinese opera has used them for centuries. The Romans did too, and masks remain a major part of their Venice Festival each year. I tend to think ancestors who lived in caves probably used them too.

 

Greek tragedy

While in Taiwan last year, I was truly fortunate to be invited to a rare and special performance of ancient Japanese opera with magnificent, colorful costumes and masks. All the roles were played by women, which I found fascinating. I still enjoy theatre — and masks.

Venice Festival

Masks and theatre belong together

Have you ever noticed how you always get more than you give? I invited Peter’s Chinese friends over to give them a chance to see how an ordinary Canadian lives. Their gift to me in return has brought me years of pleasure.

 

Japanese Noh Actor

 

 

 

 

The night I met Glen Campbell

photo by Chandra

One of the most interesting jobs I’ve had during the years was with a p/r firm in Los Angeles during my thirties. We were attached to a large record company, working with rock bands and musicians, plus our own clients — some of whom were famous.

Glen Campbell was a client and I was asked to attend one of his television shoots while he was at the height of his career. It happened to be his

Glen Campbell

birthday that night so we ordered a large birthday cake for the occasion. I noted he and I were born in the same year, but that was all we had in common. Unfortunately, when they gave out talent in 1936, he got a lot and I got short-changed.

A young Glen Campbell

What do I recall about that night? The first thing I noticed was a huge wooden barrel full of ice and drinks, mostly beer — and plenty of liquor. Who provided that? And, just who, I wondered, were all these guys standing around doing nothing but smoking and drinking — a lot! Friends? Hangers-on? I had no clue. Later I learned Campbell struggled with alcohol and drug addictions at the time.

Now, I’m a gal who hasn’t ever even been drunk. Honest. I’m crazy sober and don’t need to drink. I may pose occasionally with a glass of wine, but that’s about as far as it goes. A dear friend had once described in horrific detail what a hangover felt like and it didn’t seem worth it. So, as you can imagine, I NOTICED the drinking that night.

Wife #1, Diane Kirk

Campbell had many hits. Among my favorites: ‘By the Time I get to

#2, Billie Jean Nunley

Phoenix’, ‘Gentle on my Mind’ and ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’. He accumulated six Grammies and dozens of other awards during his long career. He also accumulated wives and children: Diane Kirk, 1955-1959, (daughter Debbie), Billie Jean Nunley, 1959-1976, (daughter Kelli, sons Travis and Kane) and Sarah Barg Davis (who had been his friend Mac Davis’s wife) 1976-1980, (son Dillon).

#3 Sarah Barg Davis

Finally, in 1982 he married the former Kimberly Woolen, a dancer, whom he often said helped him get his life in order. That marriage lasted for over thirty years until the very end. They had three children (sons Cal and Shannon and daughter Ashley).

#4 Kimberly Woolen

Campbell died at 81 in Nashville in 2017, after living with Alzheimer’s for some years. His wife Kim and the rest of his large complex family are still battling in court over his estate. A sad end for a real talent.

I’ve been luckier. I’m still around making trouble and enjoying every day.