GRANTEE
When The Sirens Sing is a contemporary opera that amplifies the voices of Ukrainian female refugees through music, drama, and sound art. As part of a series that I began with Bakhmut Rhapsody, which premiered at the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival in New York City in 2024, the opera examines the profound impact of the Russian war on Ukraine.
Rooted in documentary stories collected through interviews, the work blends traditional Ukrainian music with contemporary styles, integrating field recordings of sirens and explosions alongside folk songs gathered during ethnographic fieldwork. These elements are further accompanied by documentary videos, visual art, and choreography, creating a multidimensional experience.
The project aims to document the human experiences of the war, amplifying the voices of those affected while raising global awareness of its far-reaching consequences for humanity and the environment.