On June 1-3, the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) hosted three nights of Mōdraniht. Songs of Winter War – the third experimental opera in the environmental trilogy by the creative collective Opera Aperta. The show had previously been performed at O. Festival in Rotterdam on May 26 and premiered on May 10 in Kyiv, where the company’s rehearsal space has since been destroyed by a Russian missile attack. To create this production, composers Roman Grygoriv and Illia Razumeiko traveled to Northern Spain, the Carpathian Mountains, and Uzbekistan to document winter solstice rituals and the present condition of the dried-up Aral Sea.
The previous two productions in the trilogy were quite remarkable – Chornobyldorf received the Royal Philharmonic Society’s award for the best opera, running against Kaija Saariaho’s Innocence, and GAIA-24. Opera del Mondo received the 2025 Music Theatre Now Award. Yet Mōdraniht is certainly more original, deeper, and overall, much stronger both musically and dramaturgically. The music amplifies the emotional charge of visual sequences in just the right way; moreover, it could easily exist as a stand-alone piece, apart from those moments when it dissolves into silence, quotations from the classics, and the ringing of cow bells. The timing between unexpected scene changes is perfectly calculated. A Richard Foreman play, but with meaning?
The meaning was clarified in Razumeiko’s introductory remarks. (Neither winter nor war explicitly appear in the production itself, except for the artist-led Q&A session with the audience, in the middle of the show.) Switching between English and German, to engage both international guests and locals, he explained the origin of some visuals and props: the ships in the desert demonstrate the results of Russian colonization – the draining of the Aral Sea, the injured face belongs to a recently discharged Ukrainian veteran, and the partially destroyed pianos symbolize those that were looted by the Red Army soldiers from Austria in 1945. These facts made the abstract production that followed feel timely, yet I imagined its existence without any explanations, as the aesthetic quality of the piece can certainly ensure its timelessness.
Photo by Viktor Andriichenko
By all counts, the artists of Opera Aperta are superhumans. The cast consists of professionals trained as singers (operatic or folk), dancers, string or percussion players, but each has mastered the drums, strings, pianos, and other instruments and objects. With any and all parts of their bodies, they play a mesmerizing sequence à la Boulez’s Piano Notations, where every note, tone cluster, and silence musically make perfect sense. (The positions include leaning perpendicularly to play with the crown of the head on a piano positioned sideways, and doing push-ups while stretched along the keyboard, which is possible only because of the enormous strength in Marichka Shtyrbulova’s tiny body.) Mingling with the audience, the performers can create a stereophonic sound by jumping incessantly for over 15 minutes while wearing 350 bells, ranging in size from an apple to a watermelon. They can also flawlessly sing six-part polyphony while all piled up on top of each other, in upside-down or sideways positions that seem to defy the existence of gravity. (The singing happens after the bells episode, and no one seems to be out of breath.)
Mōdraniht, however, is not merely a collection of startling effects or a show-off of improbable skills. It’s a work of high art that leaves you startled, with eyes wide open and many questions. (Is it really over? Why do the lights project “The End” while the music is still playing, one artist is still lying on the stage, and no one comes out for a bow to greet the puzzled, hesitantly clapping audience? And, more importantly, when are they coming to New York?)
SUNDAY, March 2 5 pm Zwilich’s Double Quartet Program: Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939), Double Quartet for Strings (1984) Louis Spohr (1784–1859), Double Quartet No. 1 in D minor for Strings, Op. 65 (1823) Max Bruch (1838–1920), Octet for Strings (1920) Olli Mustonen (b. 1967), Nonet II for Four Violins, Two Violas, Two Cellos, and Bass (2000) VENUE: Alice Tully Hall ADMISSION: TBD
SUNDAY, March 2 8 pm Spatial: Bryan Eubanks, Eternities Katie Porter, bass clarinet Bob Bellerue, sound art Bryan Eubanks – n/24 (2025), electronics VENUE: Fridman Gallery ADMISSION: $15
MONDAY, March 3 OUTfest 2025 7 pm NuMBq Michael Bisio – bass, composition / Melanie Dyer – viola / Marianne Osiel – english horn / Jay Rosen – perc 8:45pm Cooper Moore – multi-instruments / DoYeon Kim – gayageum 9:30pm Studio We 3 Daniel Carter – horns / Juma Sultan – percussion / William Parker – bass, reeds VENUE: Fridman Gallery ADMISSION: $25
MONDAY, March 3 7:30 PM Tibet House US Annual Benefit Concert: Philip Glass and Friends Performers: Philip Glass and Laurie Anderson, Artistic Directors Featuring: Arooj Aftab Laurie Anderson Jackson Browne Tenzin Choegyal Angélique Kidjo Ebon Moss-Bachrach Orville Peck Allison Russell Philip Glass Ensemble Gogol Bordello Patti Smith Michael Stipe Tune-Yards VENUE: Carnegie Hall ADMISSION: $49
MONDAY, March 3 7PM Abasement #76 MV Carbon, Brian Close + Kiki Kudo + Grave Guzman + Woodson Legend, William Hooker “Jubilation” with Adam Lane, On Ka Davis, Stevie Manning and Matt Lavelle, and Ka Baird/Qasim Naqvi/Joanna Mattrey. VENUE: Artists Space ADMISSION: Free
MONDAY, March 3 8:30PM Biggish and friends 8:30- Moritz/ Ali/ Costa 9:30- Biggish 10:30 Nate Wooley Quartet VENUE: Hart bar ADMISSION: TBD
March 3–12 7pm and 2pm Doom: House Of Hope Concept, Artist Anne Imhof Curation Klaus Biesenbach Scenography sub Choreography Josh Johnson Music Direction Ville Haimala Sound Design Mark Grey Lighting Design Urs Schönebaum Design, Art Direction Zak Group VENUE: Park Avenue Armory ADMISSION: $50
TUESDAY, March 4 The DMG 34th Anniversary In-Store Free Music Series 6:30 pm Killick / Harvey Valdes – Guitar Duo 7:30 pm John Hagen – Tenor Sax / Ken Filiano – Contrabass / Todd Capp- Drums 8:30 pm Bassmosphere: Eli Asher, Caylie Davis, Thomas Heberer, Frank London, Jordan McLean – trumpets, Aaron Pond – french horn, Steve Swell – pocket trumpet/trombone, Westbrook Johnson – trombone & patrick brennan – cornet VENUE: DMG ADMISSION: Free
TUESDAY, March 4 7 PM Contemporaneous: Open Mic Contemporaneous ensemble Lisa Beilawa, Niloufar Nourbakhsh, Dylan Mattingly, composers VENUE: Roulette ADMISSION: Free
TUESDAY, March 4 7:30PM A Love Letter from the Past : RESIST Joe McPhee – sax Warren Smith – drums Ratzo Harris – bass VENUE: NUBLU ADMISSION: $30
TUESDAY, March 4 8PM David Grubbs “Whistle From Above” Record Release David Grubbs (Record Release; Solo & w/ Nate Wooley, Wendy Eisenberg, Cleek Schrey), Sam Weinberg Trio (ft. Henry Fraser, Jason Nazary) VENUE: Sisters ADMISSION: $15
THURSDAY, March 6 7:30 PM Miya Masaoka Repertoire: Miya Masaoka, Into the Landscape of the Shaking Inner Chôra (2024/25) Miya Masaoka, The Horizon Leans Forward (2023) for string quartet Miya Masaoka, Mapping a Joyful Noise (2023) for violin and electronics Miya Masaoka, The Dust and the Noise (2013, rev. 2022) for piano, percussion, violin, and cello VENUE: Miller Theatre at Columbia University ADMISSION: $20
THURSDAY, March 6 8PM Interpretations: SPACE Roscoe Mitchell / Thomas Buckner / Scott Robinson, with Robert Dick VENUE: Roulette ADMISSION: $15
FRIDAY, March 7 8:30 pm Quartet Micah Thomas (piano) Jessica Pavone (viola) Mary Halvorson (guitar) Lesley Mok (drums) VENUE: The Stone ADMISSION: $20
SATURDAY, March 8 The Gauci-Music Series 6:30: Aliya Ultan & Friends VENUE: DMG ADMISSION: Free
SATURDAY, March 8 8:30 pm Duo Micah Thomas (piano) Tyshawn Sorey (drums) VENUE: The Stone ADMISSION: $20
WEDNESDAY, March 12 7:30pm Welltone New Music Presents JACK Quartet Program: Pierre Boulez: Livre 1, 2, 3c Anton Webern: Six Bagatelles, Op. 9 Philip Glass: String Quartet No. 5 John Cage: String Quartet in Four Parts Heinz Holliger: String Quartet No. 2 VENUE: Symphony Space ADMISSION: $30
THURSDAY, March 13 7:30 PM Fantastyka (Ukrainian Sci-Fi) TAK Ensemble Program: Leonid Hrabovsky, And It Will Be (1993) Taylor Brook, Star Maker Fragments (2021) Solomiya Moroz, The Solar Machine (World Premiere Commission – details here) VENUE: The DiMenna Center for Classical Music ADMISSION: $35 – $60
THURSDAY, March 13 7:30 pm Derek Bermel, Ying Quartet, Christopher Taylor & João Luiz Derek Bermel, clarinet Christopher Taylor, piano João Luiz, guitar Travelogue Clarice Assad – Hermetic Sergio Assad – Mignoniana Derek Bermel – String Quartet No. 2: Songs Of Nameless Ancestors (New York Premiere) Derek Bermel – A Short History Of The Universe (As Related By Nima Arkani-Hamed) Derek Bermel – Turning Leonard Bernstein – Sonata For Clarinet And Piano Andreia Pinto Correia – Cantos E Danças (New York Premiere) João Luiz Rezende Lopes – Sereno Paquito D’rivera – Preludio Y Merengue VENUE: Kaufman Music Center ADMISSION: $30
THURSDAY, March 13 8PM Wendy Eisenberg salutes Morton Feldman • Mari Rubio x Jessica Pavone duo VENUE: The Owl ADMISSION: $15
FRIDAY, March 14 7:30PM From Kontraktova Square The Rhythm Method Kebra-Seyoun Charles, Base Hans Tashjian, Bass Vira Slywotzky, Contralto Program: Lesia Dychko, “On the boat” after Lesia Ukrainka Svyatoslav Lunyov, Excerpts From Fierce January ’23: 35 Valentyn Kostenko, String Quartet No. 2, Ii. Andante Quasi Allegretto (1929) Stefania Turkevych, “Time Passes” after Taras Shevchenko Katya Suhlobina, “In Memoriam” for string quartet on motives from Serhiy Zhadan Yuri Ishchenko, “Night shadows” after Mykhailo Semenko Yuri Povolotsky, Three Romances on Poems by Lina Kostenko Leonid Hrabovsky, “Pastels” after Pavlo Tychyna Victoria Polevá, “Dover Beach” after Matthew Arnold Boris Loginov, “The Way” after Mykola Khvylovy Valentyn Sylvestrov, “Farewell” after John Keats VENUE: The DiMenna Center for Classical Music ADMISSION: $35 – $60
SATURDAY, March 15 7:30pm Ukrainian Tone Poems Pinknoise NYU CME Ginevra Petrucci, Flute Program: Leonid Hrabovsky, Bucolic Strophes For Organ (1975) Adrian Mocanu, Les Chevaux De Feu (2022 Alla Zahaykevych, Tercet For Clarinet, Violin, And Cello (2010) Alex Voytenko, Homo Fugens (Running Man) (2018) Renata Sokachyk, The Desert Breathes (2024) Alisa Zaika, “He Only Dreamed Of Places Now…” (2022) Lena Sierova, The Last Leaf (2010-11) Yurii Pikush, Be A Cycle (2023) VENUE: The DiMenna Center for Classical Music ADMISSION: $35 – $60
SATURDAY, March 15 soup at 7:30, music at 8 Chris Jonas Deserts Quartet Chris Jonas Reeds, Compositions, Video Thomas Heberer, Cornet Cyrus Campbell, Bass Andrew Drury, Drum Set VENUE: Soup and Sound ADMISSION: $20
SATURDAY, March 15 8 pm COMPOSERS IN PLAY XV: Ink from the Shield Presented by Piano Lunaire Program: Vivian Fung, White On Black (2023) Jared Miller, Effervescent (2025) For 2 Pianos Kelly-Marie Murphy, Star Burning Blue (2000) Heather Schmidt, Twelve For Ten: Prelude-Fugue For Glenn Gould (2007) Rodney Sharman, Selected Opera Transcriptions: Don Giovanni (2021); La Rondine (1991); I Capuleti E I Montecchi (2022-24) Adam Sherkin, Northern Frames, Op. 15, No. 8: Draco (2018); Ink From The Shield (2024) For 2 Pianos Linda Catlin Smith, The View From Here (1992) Ann Southam, Rivers: Set 3 No. 4; Set 1 No. 1 (1979, 1981; Rev. 2004) Andrew Staniland, Etudes: Symmetry, Of The Sea And Flower In Nighttime (2018) VENUE: Kaufman Music Center ADMISSION: free-$40
FRIDAY, March 21 7:30 PM Wild Up: Darkness Sounding -Conrad and Davachi music collective Wild Up Christopher Rountree, artistic director Tony Conrad, Four Violins (East Coast premiere of new version arr. McIntosh) Andrew McIntosh Fixations (East Coast premiere) Sarah Davachi, The Lower Melodies (world premiere) VENUE: The 92nd Street Y ADMISSION: Starting at $40
SATURDAY, March 22 7:30 PM Wild Up: Darkness Sounding – Vivier, Lanzilotti, and more Wild Up, Christopher Rountree, artistic director Scott Walker, Rubato (It: ‘Stolen Time’) (East Coast premiere) Leilehua Lanzilotti, with eyes the color of time Claude Vivier, Zipangu James Tenney, Saxony VENUE: The 92nd Street Y ADMISSION: Starting at $40
SATURDAY, March 22 7:30pm Composing While Black International Contemporary Ensemble Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) Adegoke Steve Colson, Iqua Colson, Thurman Barker, Reggie Nicholson, composers Composing While Black VENUE: NYU Skirball ADMISSION: $50
MONDAY, March 24 7pm The Max Johnson 3 Nate Wooley, Erin Rogers & Max Johnson VENUE: Barbes ADMISSION: $20
MONDAY, March 24 7:30 PM Juilliard at Zankel Hall Artists from The Juilliard School Program: Jessie Montgomery Selections From Musings Jessie Montgomery Peace Jessie Montgomery Concerto Grosso Matthew Aucoin First Movement From The Tracks Have Vanished (Arr. For Two Pianos; World Premiere) Matthew Aucoin This Earth (Arr. For Voice And Large Ensemble; World Premiere) Caroline Shaw “The Beech Tree” From Plan & Elevation Caroline Shaw “Other Song” Ives “Two Little Flowers” Caroline Shaw “Two Little Flowers” Caroline Shaw New Work (World Premiere) VENUE: Zankel Hall (Carnegie Hall) ADMISSION: $45
WEDNESDAY, March 26 8 PM People Have the Power: A Celebration of Patti Smith Performers: Michael Stipe Matt Berninger Courtney Barnett Sharon Van Etten Alison Mosshart Kronos Quartet Ben Harper Karen O Kim Gordon Angel Olsen House band led by Tony Shanahan with Flea, Steve Jordan, and more VENUE: Carnegie Hall ADMISSION: tbd
FRIDAY, March 28 7:30 PM Kronos Quartet Program: Sun Ra Outer Spaceways Incorporated (Arr. Jacob Garchik; Ny Premiere) Coots “For All We Know” (Arr. Jacob Garchik After Nina Simone; Ny Premiere) Aleksandra Vrebalov Gold Came From Space (Ny Premiere) Neil Young “Ohio” (Arr. Paul Wiancko; Ny Premiere) Sun Ra / Terry Riley / Sara Miyamoto Kiss Yo’ Ass Goodbye (Arr. Paul Wiancko; Ny Premiere, Co-Commissioned By Carnegie Hall) Viet Cuong Next Week’s Trees (Ny Premiere) Benedicte Maurseth / Kristine Tjøgersen Elja Kronos Quartet VENUE: Zankel Hall ADMISSION: $95
FRIDAY, March 28 7:30 pm Written for Talea: Cycles of Unrest Program: Emily Koh – bridging:isolation (2013) George Christofi – Kýklos (2024) *US Premiere Andreas Tsiartas – We Have All Forgotten (2024) *US Premiere Evis Sammoutis – Kyprogenḗs (2025) *World Premiere Eric Chasalow – Fever Dream (2025) *World Premiere Ni Zheng – Chimeric Chamber (2025) *World Premiere – Talea Ensemble Early Career Commission Artists: Talea Ensemble VENUE: Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew (520 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn) ADMISSION: $10-20
SATURDAY, March 29 7PM 4711 – Intercourse of Ghosts Intercourse of Ghostsб a multilingual opera reimagining the correspondence between Franz Kafka and Milena Jesenská Hidejiro Honjoh, shamisen Annabelle Plum, voice Akihito Obama, shakuhachi Hiroya Miura, director Carl Christian Bettendorf, composer Hiroya Miura, composer VENUE: Bohemian National Hall (Czech Center) ADMISSION: free
SATURDAY, March 29 7:30 PM Leonkoro Quartet Caroline Shaw, Entr’acte Hindemith, String Quartet No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 10 Beethoven, String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 132 VENUE: The 92nd Street Y ADMISSION: Starting at $40
extended techniques 