Scarlet Cardona, autor en thickcookie

Jul

2024

Jonathan Tunick Unveils Grand Orchestration of Sondheim’s ‘A Little Night Music’

At the climax of Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music," the orchestra reaches what Sondheim called its Max Steiner moment, evoking the great scores of "Casablanca" or "Gone with the Wind." During a pivotal scene, Désirée and Fredrik, former lovers on the verge of losing their happiness, meet and kiss as the orchestra swells to a stirring reprise of "Send in the Clowns." Jonathan Tunick’s new orchestration premiered Thursday at David Geffen Hall with the 53-piece St. Luke’s Orchestra. Strings and winds soared, supported by rich, staggered chords and flourishing counterpoint, creating a moment fit for both film and opera.…

Jul

2024

By Scarlet Cardona

Gaza Hospital Director Released After Seven Months in Israeli Detention

Politics

On Monday, Israel released Mohammad Abu Salmiya, the head of Gaza’s largest hospital, after holding him for more than seven months without charge. The move sparked immediate protests in Israel, highlighting the polarized views on the ongoing conflict. Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, was arrested in late November during an attempt to evacuate patients while the hospital was under siege by the Israeli army. The military said he was being questioned about Hamas activities at the hospital. His release has amplified differing perspectives on the war. Human rights groups have criticized his continued detention without charge…

Jul

2024

By Scarlet Cardona

Klay Thompson Leaves Golden State Warriors: A New Chapter Begins

Politics

For the Golden State Warriors, this marks the end of an era. Klay Thompson is set to sign a three-year, $50 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ending his 13-year tenure with the Warriors, 12 of which he spent alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Together, they built a dynasty, reaching six NBA Finals and winning four championships in eight years. They formed one of the league’s longest-tenured trios, anchoring one of the greatest teams ever, which set an NBA record with 73 wins in the 2015-16 season. In a league known for constant change, the Warriors’ Big Three were…

Jul

2024

By Scarlet Cardona

Asia Markets Mixed: China Output Contracts Again, Japan Downgrades Q1 GDP

Politics

Shanghai, China – January 1: The sun rises over the Oriental Pearl Tower on New Year's Day, January 1, 2023, in Shanghai, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images) Asia-Pacific markets got off to a mixed start to the second half of the year as investors weighed June economic data from China and business confidence data from Japan. China's official PMI data, released over the weekend, showed the manufacturing PMI at 49.5, unchanged from May, marking the second month of contraction. However, a private survey, the S&P Caixin PMI, showed a marked improvement, rising to 51.8 in June from 51.7…

Jul

2024

By Scarlet Cardona

Morgan Stanley says this stock could consolidate China’s electric vehicle sector

Economy

Shares of Chinese electric car makers started the new year on a downtrend, facing stiff competition and ongoing price wars that are eroding automakers’ profitability amid weak overall market sentiment. Hong Kong-listed shares of Nio and Xpeng have fallen more than 18% and 16%, respectively, while Li Auto has fallen 12% so far this year. BYD and Zhejiang Leapmotor have fallen nearly 2.5% and 12%, respectively, in 2024. Bernstein analysts noted in a recent report on China's electric vehicle industry: "We expect competition within the domestic market to remain intense, putting pressure on pricing and profitability." Morgan Stanley also highlighted…

Jun

2024

By Scarlet Cardona

Tesla Recalls Cybertruck to Fix Faulty Wipers, Loose Seals

Politics

The Tesla Cybertruck was unveiled at Tesla's design studio in Hawthorne, California on November 21, 2019. Tesla recently issued two additional recalls for its Cybertruck pickup trucks in the United States, as the automaker continues to face problems with its new electric vehicle, about six months after it began deliveries. The third and fourth Cybertruck recalls involve physical repairs that typically require booking a service appointment at a Tesla center. One recall concerns problems with the liner, which can loosen and come off the trunk, while the other focuses on faulty motor controllers in the front windshield wipers. According to…

Jun

2024

By Scarlet Cardona

Chinese EV Pioneer Backs European Investment Amid Trade Tensions

Economy

Wan Gang, the visionary behind the surge in electric vehicles in China, sees European collaboration as a promising way forward. HEFEI, China — Wan Gang, widely recognized as the architect of China's electric vehicle (EV) strategy, suggested on Wednesday that Chinese investment in Europe's electric vehicle sector could benefit both regions amid current disputes commercial. “I believe the governments of China and the European Union are now considering how, through negotiations, to combine investment with commodity trade,” said Wan Gang, current president of the China Association for Science and Technology. Wan made the remarks via an official English translation during…

Jun

2024

By Scarlet Cardona

Catherine Breillat Pushes the Boundaries With Stepmother-Stepson Relationship in New Film

Politics

When French filmmaker Catherine Breillat was 40, her husband left her for a much younger woman. Soon after, she began dating a man 12 years her junior. “Men often dismiss their older wives, claiming that they can no longer be loved,” Breillat said in a recent interview, through an interpreter. "But it's not true. I want to tell other women that there is no reason to despair." In his new film Last summerwhich hits theaters on Friday, explores this concept through a provocative plot. Since the 1970s, the acclaimed director, now 75, has focused on the troubled sexual awakenings of…

Jun

2024

By Scarlet Cardona

Amsterdam Museum to Return Matisse Painting Sold Under Force During WWII

Politics

The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam will return a painting by Henri Matisse, which has been in its collection since 1941, to the heirs of its original owner, a German-Jewish textile manufacturer and art patron who sold it to finance his family's escape from the Netherlands occupied by the Nazis. The museum announced on Tuesday that it was returning the artwork, titled “Odalisque,” following “binding advice” from the Dutch Restitution Commission, a government body that handles cases of Nazi-looted art. The heirs described the decision as symbolic justice. "Matisse made the same journey from Berlin to Amsterdam as our grandparents," they…