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Cecilia Bartoli veers into opera management while still singing at 57

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

SALZBURG, Austria (AP) — Cecilia Bartoli has a favorite role she wished she could sing.“There is one character which I was always in love with since I started my Mozart career, and it’s Don Giovanni,” she said. “With me, you never know.”She laughed at her thought of a baritone part. Now 57, the mezzo-soprano has highlighted 17th and 18th century music and is singing the lead in Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Eurydice, which opened Friday at the Salzburg Festival in modern-dress Cristof Loy production that has five performances through Aug. 14.Bartoli has expanded into an administrative career, succeeding Riccardo Muti as artistic director of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival in 2012 and in January became director of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.“After 35 years of singing, I think it’s a great challenge,” she said. “When you are the performer, you are concentrating in your music,” she said. “You don’t know exactly the other artists, what are their needs. Everybody’s different, has a different body, has a...

A survivor of the fatal Pennsylvania bus crash describes chaos, heroism after it turned over

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A passenger bus carrying up to 50 people crashed and hit another vehicle on a Pennsylvania interstate, killing three bus passengers, state police said.The wreck happened during heavy rain around 11:50 p.m. Sunday on southbound Interstate 81 just north of Harrisburg, state police said. The bus drove off the roadway, struck an embankment and rolled onto its right side before hitting the back of a car that was stopped in the right lane of traffic, according to a crash report.The three passengers were declared dead at the scene, the police report said, and others suffered injuries that ranged from minor to severe. Matthew Oshiafi, a passenger on the bus, told Pennlive that he remembered a terrible screeching and shuddering before it crashed and flipped on its side. He said he was sitting in the last row of the bus that was covering a normal route between New York and Ohio.Oshiafi, 39, a New York City resident who was headed to Cincinnati to visit family, said the ...

Missing woman was last seen at festival in Gage Park, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

CHICAGO  — Chicago police seek the public's help locating a woman the department says may have seen leaving a summer festival in Gage Park. Juana Maldonado, 52, has not been seen or heard from since 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6. According to police, Maldonado's last known location was the St. Galls Festival in the area of 55th and Sawyer-Kedzie Ave. She wore a light blue shirt with a circle logo on the front, black jeans and black shoes. The 52-year-old may have been seen walking with another woman from the festival, police added.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesMaldonado, who is Hispanic with a medium skin complexion, stands 5-foot-1-inches. She weighs 190 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. Anyone with information may leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.

William Friedkin, Chicago native and Oscar-winning director of 'The Exorcist,' dead at 87

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning director who became a top filmmaker in his 30s with the gripping “The French Connection” and the horrifying “The Exorcist” and struggled in the following decades to match his early success has died. He was 87.Friedkin, who won the best director Oscar for “The French Connection,” died Monday in Los Angeles, a representative from his office told The Associated Press. His wife, former studio head Sherry Lansing also confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. ‘Breaking Bad’ actor Mark Margolis dead at 83 The movie, based on a true story, deals with the efforts of maverick New York City police Detective James “Popeye” Doyle to track down Frenchman Fernando Rey, mastermind of a large drug pipeline funneling heroin into the United States. It contains one of the most thrilling chase scenes ever filmed.The movie also won Academy Awards for best picture, screenplay and film editing and led critics to hail Friedkin, then just 32, as a leading...

Jabari Parker will have a new stop in his basketball career in 2023-2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

CHICAGO — After a few stops in the NBA, Jabari Parker is starting a new chapter of his professional basketball career this upcoming season.This time, the Chicago native and former Simeon High School star is going overseas. On Monday, FC Barcelona confirmed the signing of Parker to their team for the 2023-2024 season which is scheduled to begin in September. This comes after he didn't play in the NBA during the past season, last taking the floor for the Celtics in January 2022.Parker was scheduled to play for the Milwaukee Bucks summer league team back in July but ended up pulling out before play began. He will be joining one of the most well-established basketball teams in Europe, which plays in both Liga Endesa (Liga ACB) along with the Euroleague. A former Gatorade High School Player of the Year and McDonald's All-American at Simeon then first team All-American at Duke, Parker has had a number of stops in his professional career. Drafted second overall by the Bucks, he played in M...

William Friedkin, director of 'The French Connection' and 'The Exorcist,' dead at 87

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — William Friedkin, the Oscar winning director who became a top filmmaker in his 30s with the gripping “The French Connection” and the horrifying “The Exorcist” and struggled in the following decades to match his early success has died. He was 87.Friedkin, who won the best director Oscar for “The French Connection,” died Monday in Los Angeles, his wife, producer and former studio head Sherry Lansing told The Hollywood Reporter.The movie, based on a true story, deals with the efforts of maverick New York City police Detective James “Popeye” Doyle to track down Frenchman Fernando Rey, mastermind of a large drug pipeline funneling heroin into the United States. It contains one of the most thrilling chase scenes ever filmed.The movie also won Academy Awards for best picture, screenplay and film editing and led critics to hail Friedkin, then just 32, as a leading member of a new generation of filmmakers.FILE - Director William Friedkin poses for portraits after inte...

Mattel unveils ‘Weird Barbie’ based on Kate McKinnon’s character

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.It’s pretty safe to say that “Barbie” mania is still going strong. Over the weekend, the movie surpassed $1 billion at the global box office. And in case repeat trips to the theater aren’t enough to feed your “Barbie” obsession, Mattel is still rolling out dolls inspired by the movie’s characters that are becoming instant collectibles. The latest? A “Weird Barbie” based on Kate McKinnon’s character.Warning: “Barbie” spoilers ahead.Who is ‘Weird Barbie’?srcset="https://cdn.bestreviews.com/images/v4desktop/image-full-page-cb/weirdbarbieinline1.jpg?w=160 160w, https://cdn.bestreviews.com/images/v4desktop/image-full-page-cb/weirdbarbieinline1.jpg?w=256 256w, https://cdn.bestreviews.com/images/v4desktop/image-full-page-cb/weirdbarbieinline1.jpg?w=320 320w, https://cdn.bestreviews.com/images/v4desktop/image-full-page-cb/weirdbarbieinline1.jpg?w=640 640w, https://cdn.bestreviews...

Fritos wants you to rock a free mullet for a chance to win $10K

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

(Fritos)DALLAS (KDAF) — Fritos is giving away mullet haircuts along with a chance to win $10,000.In celebration of the USA Mullet Championships, Fritos is partnering with Floyd's Barbershop to offer 1,000 free mullet cuts in August, the corn chip company announced. Every Friday through Aug. 25, mullet fans can book a free Fritos Flow mullet haircut at all Floyd's locations nationwide. Reservations can be made online."Mullets are back! We've been seeing an uptick in the number of customers requesting them, and we want to embrace that," said Patrick Butler, senior director of creative and technical education at Floyd's Barbershop. "That's why we're so excited to team up with Fritos to help make it the hairstyle of the summer by providing free mullet cuts at all our locations every Friday in August. Whoever has the boldest mullet can enter the USA Mullet Championship. for the chance to win $10,000, or share a photo on Instagram – tagging @of...

Public health alert issued for raw beef that may contain plastic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

(WTAJ) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns about a raw beef product that may be contaminated.According to the release, the raw beef item may contain soft, clear plastic. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that this product should not be consumed. However, the product is no longer available for purchase. RECALL: Baby monitors sold at Walmart, Toys ‘R’ Us pose fire risk The raw beef item was produced on July 25, 2023. The product bears the establishment number Est. 85M on the back label. The product was available in select ALDI grocery stores nationwide.The following product is subject to the public health alert:Approximately 1.5-lb. plastic tray packages containing “USDA CHOICE BLACK ANGUS BEEF FROM ALDI, BEEF FOR CARNE PICADA” with a “Use or Freeze by” date of Aug. 22, 2023, Julian Date 206, and time stamp between 08:43 through 09:23.FSIS...

UT program aims to clean up, improve safety in West Campus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:50 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live's top headlines for Aug. 7, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new pilot program in West Campus aims to clean up the area and improve safety.On Monday, the University of Texas announced the launch of the West Campus Ambassadors pilot program. ‘The walk home never feels safe’: UT students talk West Campus safety The West Campus Ambassadors program will include two teams of ambassadors: safety ambassadors and cleaning ambassadors who will operate on foot, bicycle and by truck.The safety ambassadors will be in West Campus between 3:30 p.m. and 3 a.m. Their job will be sharing safety resources and tips, escorting residents to their destinations in the late evening, monitoring the region for unwanted activity, discouraging panhandling, working with local law enforcement to address other problematic situations, and serving as another set of eyes in the area.The cleaning ambassadors will provide daily cleaning services, including litter and trash collect...