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Opera San Jose’s ‘Tosca’ star feels she was destined for iconic role

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

Maria Natale is deep in rehearsals for Opera San Jose’s production of “Tosca.” It’s her first time singing the opera’s passionate and artistic title character, Floria Tosca, but she says it’s a role that fits her like a glove.“I’m more than thrilled to be singing this role,” the soprano said in a recent interview. “It’s going very well; it’s a beautiful production and the cast is stellar.  I’m just so excited.”Directed by Tara Branham and conducted by Opera San Jose music director Joseph Marcheso, Natale tops a cast that also includes tenor Adrian Kramer as Cavaradossi and baritone Kidon Choi as Scarpia. The production runs April 15-30 at the California Theatre.Natale, originally from Southern California and now based in New York, has wanted to sing the role of Tosca “since I was a kid,” she said. Her grandfather was an opera prodigy at Pittsburgh Opera, and when she was 10, he told her she would one day sing Tosca.“Ever since then, opera’s just been part of my life,” she said.Natal...

“Breaking Barriers: The Art of Iran” arrives in Sausalito

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

As the fight for women’s rights rages on in Iran, a group of artists have come together for an exhibition showcasing a broad range of Persian art that transcends geopolitical and cultural borders.Curated by Shiva Pakdel, “Breaking Down Barriers: The Art of Iran” runs through April 23 at the Sausalito Center for the Arts and features more than 240 works in mediums ranging from antique art and artifacts to textiles, ceramics and photographs. The exhibition features works by contemporary Iranian artists living in the United States and Iran.Farnaz Zabetian’s oil on canvas, “Woman, Life, Freedom,” is one of 240 works on display during “Breaking Barriers: The Art of Iran” in Sausalito. (Courtesy of Shiva Pakdel) In addition to Bay Area painter Farnaz Zabetian’s “Woman, Life, Freedom,” an oil-on-canvas version of her mural in San Francisco’s Clarion Alley, you can catch a ticketed screening of Iranian filmmaker Ba...

Earthquake strikes near Morgan Hill

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

(KRON) -- A preliminary magnitude 3.0 earthquake struck on Tuesday morning about 12 miles from Morgan Hill. The quake hit around 9:40 a.m. There were no initial reports of damages or injuries.The quake's epicenter was about 8 miles from San Martin, a census-designated place in Santa Clara County.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

San Jose police union hides web pages after scandal

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

The San Jose Police Officers' Association has blocked significant portions of its website from public access after its executive director was charged in connection with an international drug smuggling scheme. The association, which is the union that represents about 1,100 San Jose Police Department officers, previously had its website largely open to the public, including pages for its board of directors and its office staff. Now, those pages are behind a password-protected wall. Judge rules Elizabeth Holmes’ cannot remain free while appealing fraud conviction Shortly after the association's top administrator, Joanne Segovia, was charged with attempting to illegally import fentanyl in late March, she was placed on paid leave and the association removed her biography and photo from its website. Segovia, who is not a police officer, has since been fired by the association. Other staff members' images and biographies were still visible online, however. But more recently, the a...

Vehicle loses control, crashes through fence in San Rafael: photos

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

(KRON) -- A car briefly lost control and crashed through a fence, nearly avoiding a building, according to the San Rafael Police Department on Twitter. The crash occurred on the 100 block of Belvedere Street on Tuesday morning. Video shows ex-SF fire commissioner assaulted with pipe in Marina District Officers responded to the scene and reported that the driver likely mistook the gas pedal for the brake while parking. A photo from the scene showed the car, a four-door compact sedan, had mounted the curb and crashed through the wooden fence. No one was injured in the collision, police said.

Kings vs. Warriors: This is what you need to know about the Northern California playoff series

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

(KTXL) — There will be an Interstate 80 battle in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Sacramento Kings are playing the Golden State Warriors in their first playoff appearance in 16 seasons. Games 1 and 2 will be played at the Golden 1 Center with the first game of the best-of-seven series taking place Saturday night.  Want to go watch the Warriors in Sacramento? This is how much it will cost you The Kings are the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference while the Warriors are the No. 6 squad in the West. Heading into the season, the Kings playoff drought was the longest in NBA history, along with having the longest active in U.S. major professional sports leagues.  Want to go watch the Kings in the playoffs? This is how much it will cost you Sacramento clinched its playoff berth on March 29 with a 120-80 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on the road. Along with a playoff berth, the Kings clinched their first Pacific Division title this season for...

Domestic unrest interrupts Macron’s European future speech

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron laid out his vision of a bold, assertive European future on Tuesday, but not before simmering anger at his domestic pension reforms boiled over once more as he began his speech in the Netherlands.Some members of the audience at a theater in The Hague shouted at Macron, accusing him of undemocratically forcing through his plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.Macron’s pension reforms have prompted massive protests and strikes in France. Critics were additionally infuriated when he used a special constitutional power last month to push the bill through parliament without a vote.Some protesters in The Hague theater Tuesday brandished a banner calling Macron the “president of violence and hypocrisy.”“I can answer these questions if you give me some time,” Macron responded, speaking in English. The protesters were quickly removed from the hall.It’s “very important to have this type of discussion,” an unfl...

DeMarcus Cousins joins Guaynabo Mets in Puerto Rican league

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

SAN JUAN (AP) — Former NBA All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins joined the Guaynabo Mets of Puerto Rico’s professional basketball league on Tuesday. The Guaynabo Mets said in a statement that the 32-year-old free agent Cousins “still has what it takes to play in the NBA”, but “is taking his talents to basketball-crazy Puerto Rico.” Details on the contract weren’t immediately available.“DeMarcus is one of the best basketball players of his generation, and from a talent standpoint, he will be one of the best to ever play” in the Puerto Rican league, Mets co-owner Marc Grossman said. “His ability to shoot and stretch the floor should be a great fit.”Cousins was the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft. He most recently played for the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021-22 season. Cousins also had stints with the Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. Cousins, who played college ...

Djokovic opens clay-court season with straight-set win

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

MONACO (AP) — Top-ranked Novak Djokovic looked rusty as he started his clay-court season with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win against qualifier Ivan Gakhov at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday.The two-time Monte Carlo champion had not played since losing to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the Dubai Championships five weeks ago, which ended the Australian Open champion’s 20-match winning streak.The 35-year-old Djokovic, who suffered an opening-round exit last year in the Principality, struggled with consistency in the first set and took time to find his marks on the slow surface. He played more aggressively in the second set and broke for 3-2, then did not look back to reach the third round.“I have not played my best, particularly in the first set,” said Djokovic, who saved three of the four break points he faced. “All in all, I’m just pleased with the way I held my nerves in important moments.”Djokovic’s next opponent will be either Lorenzo Musetti or Luca Nardi.Stefanos Tsitsi...

STDs are on the rise. This morning-after-style pill may help

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:52:38 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials released data Tuesday showing how chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases have been accelerating, but doctors are hoping an old drug will help fight the sexually transmitted infections.Experts believe STDs have been rising because of declining condom use, inadequate sex education and reduced testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of Americans are infected each year. Rates are highest in men who have sex with men, and among Black and Hispanic Americans and Native Americans.“Sexually transmitted infections are an enormous, low-priority public health problem. And they’ve been a low-priority problem for decades, in spite of the fact that they are the most commonly reported kind of infectious disease,” said Dr. John M. Douglas Jr., a retired health official who lectures at the Colorado School of Public Health.To try to turn the tide, many doctors see promise in doxycycline, a cheap antibiotic that has been sold for more than 50 years. The Cen...