Her serene highness

— Caroline Trentini, for Marie Claire Brasil, April 2013 —

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Serene highness as a possible noble adjectivation of a very special and unique human potential which comprises the subjective and powerful ability of aesthetic grounded observation of the external world and the collection and personal interpretation of multiple pleasant kinesthetic stimuli through which, in practice, we translate and reveal, at least a little, our own intimate profiles and genuine personal tastes.

The communication phenomenon between our inner vivid personality and this referred exterior world, whether through the written language or the pictorial non-written graphic expression – with special mention to photography, as a main existential foundation of this blog – is laborious, productive, surely enjoyable and so much rewarding, in the immaterial sense of the term. Each visual composition and all of its related details have a value and significance to their selector, not always obvious to all who look at them… So, the research and assortment work to gather many sets of remarkable images is usually not an unguided or a randomic procedure. In fact, this work has an intentional and meticulously predefined “script”, which is played in a, at the same time, spontaneous, coherent, sensitive, intuitive and personal emotive complex way.

This post opens with the more than beautiful Brazilian model Caroline Trentini (aka Carol) – love her! – who was born in a tiny city of Southern Brazil and is, undoubtedly, a wonderful consolidated international top model. She is an example of a living proof that the sparkling of a true light of a dear person has no range limits, by definition. These and other objective or subjective exposed “reasons” allow us – in a so very special, contemporary and plausible manner – to share a same, often mutual, gigantic sphere of knowledges, tastes and feelings, regardless of our sometimes huge geographical distances – in other words, to speak the same language!

- F.

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— Caroline Trentini, for Marie Claire Brasil, April 2013 —

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— Flavia Lucini, for Glamour Brasil, April 2013 —

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— Isabelli Fontana, for Glamour Brasil, April 2013 —

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— Isabella Lindblom (Elite Italy), for Vogue Russia Журнал, Он и она online article, April 13, 2013 —

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— Irina Funtikova, by Calope —

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— Jessica Stam, for i-D Magazine, September 2004 —

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— Photography by Vlasta Pilot —

Source: Vlasta Pilot Photography Portfolio

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— Carey Mulligan, for Interview Russia, May 2013 —

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— Amy Adams, for Harper’s Bazaar Argentina, April 2013 —

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— Moa Åberg, for Vogue Italia, March 2013 —

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— Alicia Kuczman, for Marie Claire Brasil, December 2012 —

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— Alicia Kuczman, for Marie Claire Brasil, June 2012 —

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— Laetitia Casta (undefined sources) —

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— Kirsten Dunst, for Bullett Magazine, Volume X, Spring MMXIII —

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— Kirsten Dunst (undefined sources) —

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— Her Serene Highness, The Princess of Monaco — Grace Patricia Kelly (undefined sources) —

“His/Her Serene Highness (abbreviation: HSH) is a style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein and Monaco. It also preceded the princely titles of members of some German ruling and mediatised dynasties as well as some non-ruling but princely German noble families until 1918. It was also the form of address used for cadet members of the dynasties of France, Italy, Russia and Ernestine Saxony under their monarchies. Additionally, the treatment was granted for some, but not all, princely yet non-reigning families of Bohemia, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania and Russia by emperors or popes.

In a number of older English dictionaries, serene as used in this context means supreme, royal, august, or marked by majestic dignity or grandeur or high or supremely dignified. The style Serene Highness has an antiquity equal to that of Highness. However, in some, excluding the Latin language countries, Highness was considered a higher treatment than Serene Highness.”

Text source: Wikipedia

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— Mirte Maas, for Dior Magazine #2, Spring/Summer 2013 —

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— Kinga Rajzak —

First image: for 10 Magazine, Summer/Autumn 2012

Second image: for Harper’s Bazaar Korea, September 2012

Third image: for Vogue Italia, March 2013

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— Nadja Auermann —

First image: by Herb Ritts

Second image: for Vogue US, September 1992

Third image: undefined source

Fourth and fifth images: for Elle France, August 15, 1994

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— Malgosia Bela, for Numéro Tokyo #66, May 2013 —

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— Natalia Vodianova —

First image: for Numéro Tokyo #13, April 2008

Second image: for Vogue Paris, April 2010

Third image: by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

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— Natalia Vodianova, for Numéro #141, March 2013 —

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— A few music videos —

Cœur de Pirate (Béatrice Martin) | Track: Place de la République | Album: Blonde (2011) | Language: French

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Chisu (Christel Martina Sundberg) & Kiira Korpi | Track: Tie | Event: Plan Finland (Plan Suomi) – Because I am a Girl (Koska olen tyttö),  Ice Gala 2012, at Barona Areena, Espoo, Finland, April 19, 2012 | Language: Finnish

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Kent | Track: Kärleken väntar | Album: Vapen & Ammunition (2002) | Language: Swedish

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Dido (Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong) | Track: End of Night | Album: Girl Who Got Away (2013) | Language: English

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Vi ses!

Applying the senses

A little moment of visual (and audio) self-indulgence after a strenuous step

— Natasha Poly, for Vogue Russia, March 2009 —

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— Christy Turlington, Versace dress, El Mirage, by Herb Ritts, 1990 —

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— Tatjana Patitz, by Herb Ritts, 1989 —

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— Vlada Roslyakova, for Ulyana Sergeenko, Spring/Summer 2013 —

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— Vlada Roslyakova, for Christian Lacroix, Spring 2009 —

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— Vlada Roslyakova, for Dolce & Gabbana, Fall 2009 —

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— Evan Rachel Wood, by Justin Stephens —

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— Caroline Trentini and Lily Donaldson, for Vogue US, December 2005 —

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— Diane Kruger, by Craig McDean, 2004 —

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— Diane Kruger, for Madame Figaro, February 7, 2011 issue —

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— Charlotte Benson, for Vogue Italia, November 2010 —

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— Veiled face (unknown source) —

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— Caroline Trentini —

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· Artist: Chisu (Christel Martina Sundberg)

· Country: Finland

· Album: Vapaa ja yksin (2009)

· Selected tracks: Etsijät | Oi, muusa! | Lähtö | Sama nainen

· Language: Finnish

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Direct from Netherlands: Simone Johanna Maria Simons

If, in my opinion, Tarja Turunen is the queen of voice, Simone Simons is the princess for sure. She is extremely beautiful and talented and I am a real and true fan of her! So, this post is affectionately dedicated to Ms Simons…

Some bio info of her (compiled and adapted text):

Simone Johanna Maria Simons (Simone Simons) was born in Hoensbroek, Netherlands, January 17, 1985. Since when Simone was young she always enjoyed music very much and played the flute for about 2 years. After that she joined at a music school and wanted to go further. At the age of 14 she had one year of jazz and pop singing lessons and after that she switched to classical singing. She sang in a choir for a couple of months in 2002, year in which she joined the symphonic metal (the musical style that I most like!!) Dutch band Epica as a coloratura mezzo-soprano singer/lead vocalist.

On January 10, 2008, it was announced on Epica’s website that Simone was suffering from MRSA. This caused Epica to have to cancel many of their shows. In February, her condition was getting better, but she was not completely recovered. In March, Epica toured with Amanda Somerville, replacing Simons for their US tour until 11 May 2009, when Simone performed again at their show in Bibelot, Dordrecht.

Simone joined the band Kamelot on the tour for their  album Poetry for the Poisoned as a supporting singer and guest member, after the departure of vocalist Roy Khan.

Simons is a coloratura mezzo-soprano with a four octave range. Her highest studio recorded note is the C#6 from the songs The Fall of Byzanz and Twin Flames. Her tone is slightly gargly as well as lachrymose. She can belt out high notes in mixed voice or make use of her classical sound which is likely more familiar to her. Overall, as she stated herself numerous times, she is a mezzo-soprano but her light bright timbre and other coloratura properties makes it hard for the listener to classify her into one particular fach. She also feels perfectly comfortable singing in the alto range. Her chest voice is well balanced, her mixed voice can be soft or belted; and her head voice can be extremely brilliant, bell-like or silvery.

Sources: Simone Simons Official Website and Wikipedia.

And now, some amazing photos of her (blue eyes, red hair and a lovely feminine and soft face)…

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Epica has a very consistent discography. Below there’s a few selected studio videos (available in HD) from the We Will Take You With Us – 2 Meter Sessies 2004 DVD (when Simone was just 19 years old!). An invaluable must have for all Epica’s fans… Simply perfect! Enjoy it!

Sensorium

The Phantom Agony

Cry for the Moon

Memory (acoustic)

Tot ziens!

F.