It seems worth memorializing Greta's mom, Malena Ernman.
Malena was born in 1970; her daughter Greta was born in 2003.
Malena was, and presumably still is, a mezzo-soprano opera singer.
Among her operatic performances, her performance as Eduige in Handel's Rodelinda
as recorded in 2011 (when Greta was eight), certainly stands out.
See the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-UNDzMOgFY&t=19m54s,
or watch it in the viewscreen below (that's Malena on the right in the preview)
If, for some reason, that video does not start at the right place, the desired excerpt starts at 19m54s, i.e., at 19:54.
Somehow I doubt that particular stage action was what Handel had in mind when he wrote that music,
but this performance shows how different stage actions can be adopted to the same words and music.
If you are curious about the words Eduige and Garibaldo are singing,
the texts for Scenes 4 and 5 of Act 1, in both Italian and a translation into English, can be found here.
Those who enjoyed watching Malena Ernman's performance in Rodelinda
might also enjoy watching the performance of
Malena's near exact contemporary, Patricia Petibon
as the title character in Handel's opera Alcina.
Petibon, like Ernman, was born in 1970 (but in France, not in Sweden),
and also has a child (a son; however Petibon's son was born in 2008).
Petibon performed the role of Alcina in the 2015 Festival d'Aix-en-Provence
(thus her son was at that time age seven).
In that production, directed by Katie Mitchell,
Petibon acted out Alcina in a way not dissimilar to
the way Ernman acted out the role of Eduige.
Alcina's paramour Ruggiero is acted by the French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky.
See her marvelous performance/demonstration at https://youtu.be/Q0DtZmvryHo?t=10m43s,
or watch it in the viewscreen below
(note: the singer/actress in the black dress shown in the viewscreen preview is NOT Ms. Petibon)
.
For the text of what is being sung, see this;
this particular scene is Atto Primo, Scena seconda, after the chorus (coro).
The first solo voice is that of the bass Melisso.
The big aria of Alcina/Petibon is "Di', cor mio, quanto t'amai".
Note the excellent orchestral sound from:
Andrea Marcon conducting the Freiburger Barockorchester.
The above has mainly discussed some positive views on ensuring ladies get
the sexual satisfaction that they desire,
I.e. honoring, serving, and servicing female sexual needs.
Of course, the opera Alcina has a plot rather different than that.
Both the plot of the opera and some aspects of how it was realized in the theater
are discussed in a most interesting 15-minute YouTube video,
featuring two of the principal performers in the production,
the soprano Anna Prohaska, then 32,
who portrayed the woman in the black dress, Alcina's sister Morgana, and
the countertenor Phillipe Jaroussky, then 37, who portrayed Ruggerio :
as the title character in Handel's opera Alcina.
Petibon, like Ernman, was born in 1970 (but in France, not in Sweden),
and also has a child (a son; however Petibon's son was born in 2008).
Petibon performed the role of Alcina in the 2015 Festival d'Aix-en-Provence
(thus her son was at that time age seven).
In that production, directed by Katie Mitchell,
Petibon acted out Alcina in a way not dissimilar to
the way Ernman acted out the role of Eduige.
Alcina's paramour Ruggiero is acted by the French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky.
See her marvelous performance/demonstration at https://youtu.be/Q0DtZmvryHo?t=10m43s,
or watch it in the viewscreen below
(note: the singer/actress in the black dress shown in the viewscreen preview is NOT Ms. Petibon)
.
For the text of what is being sung, see this;
this particular scene is Atto Primo, Scena seconda, after the chorus (coro).
The first solo voice is that of the bass Melisso.
The big aria of Alcina/Petibon is "Di', cor mio, quanto t'amai".
Note the excellent orchestral sound from:
Andrea Marcon conducting the Freiburger Barockorchester.
It's nice to see what ladies can do to bring a little pleasure into their lives,
experiencing the finer things in life, e.g., the promotion of female sexual happiness.
How nice to see, at least in fiction,
ladies getting the sexual satisfaction that they want and deserve.
For far too long some elements of the patriarchy
have denied the significance, importance, and value of satisfying
the totally appropriate and legitimate sexual needs and desires of women.
I plead guilty to that.
In any case, what a good mom!
So nice to see a Lady taking the time to instruct a man on exactly what Sexual Acts give her the Most Sexual Pleasure, to Fulfill her Sexual Potential!
The Lady getting her Elegant Rocks off.
Yes!!!!
And what a terrific opportunity for Younger Men to learn exactly what Mature Women like the most!!!
What a wonderful opportunity for the younger men!
They should thank the Older Ladies for the instruction and tutoring that the Older Ladies are gifting to them!
Victims, not!
Recepients of instruction, yes!
Who can better teach Young Men about what gives Women the Greatest Pleasure and Satisfaction?
To the Full Extent of the Female Ability to Enjoy Sexual Satisfaction.
And what could be more important, and socially useful, than that?
(Parenthetically, I think this has been a subject long neglected by Western Society.
Namely, how to maximize the Sexual Satisfaction of our women.)
Learning about different ways to satisfy and please the Elegant, Noble, Beautiful, Female Clitoris.
How Elegant was this Lady as she Orchestred the sexual activity, to, no doubt, the great pleasure of both parties.
Would a little face-sitting have made it even better for the Lady?
But that would probably have been too much to depict on stage.
Too bad!
Nothing like a little face-sitting to please a Lady!
Or Whatever the Lady likes!
Can one imagine a world where women could obtain the sexual pleasure they wanted,
wherever, whenever, and however they wanted it?
Where working to improve/increase the OQ (Orgasm Quotient) of women was a priority?
Helping ladies get more pleasure out of sex?
Would that be a better world?
Would that lead to happier, more satisfied, less angry women?
And, maybe, women more interested in producing offspring than our current crop of
career-oriented, political action-oriented ("the personal is the political") and canine-oriented and feline-oriented women?
career-oriented, political action-oriented ("the personal is the political") and canine-oriented and feline-oriented women?
(Aside: Best video ever?
The video titled
"I'm Carla (38) and I'm going to fuck my 18 yo student" (available at numerous places on the internet)
Carla certainly gives the younger man some good lessons!)
The above has mainly discussed some positive views on ensuring ladies get
the sexual satisfaction that they desire,
I.e. honoring, serving, and servicing female sexual needs.
Of course, the opera Alcina has a plot rather different than that.
Both the plot of the opera and some aspects of how it was realized in the theater
are discussed in a most interesting 15-minute YouTube video,
featuring two of the principal performers in the production,
the soprano Anna Prohaska, then 32,
who portrayed the woman in the black dress, Alcina's sister Morgana, and
the countertenor Phillipe Jaroussky, then 37, who portrayed Ruggerio :
