Inside A.I.D.A. (Association of Italian Older/Active Women), we are about 10 women, between 55 and 80 years old, who love to sing and act together. We like Italian lyrical music, part of popular culture in Italy, Napolitan songs and sentimental ballads.

We developed this pink comedy in close cooperation, putting aria’s and choirs out of the rich opera literature together with humor; we brushed up fixed ideas on women and men in opera music. Reactions to our performances show that other women are infected by the pleasure and vital energy. During our weekly rehearsals we spontaneously share our pains and we deal in a positive way with our mutual small troubles. This works quite well!

Many older women have got breathing problems, which have to do with either asthma or hyperventilation. Singing is nothing else but breathe out in a creative way, which is very useful to put breathing in balance. You feel better when singing. Singing together is very special - everybody who sings in a choir can confirm that.

Acting means occupying space, with words and gestures, using you own movements. It is really very difficult to be oneself on the stage! Other people immediately feel when you are artificial while acting.

In October 1999 this group has been working together for 5 years. During this period one woman died from breastcancer. Another of us lost her daughter completely unexpectedly when we all were in Amsterdam to give some performances.

Step by step each woman is taking the space in the group she wants to have, with much or without much text, with her own solopiece or not. Together we want to achieve each one of us to be the prima donna in her own life and keep the staging of her life as much as possible in her own hands.