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Transposition

Is an innovative music theatre performance that combines music theatre, contemporary classical music, electronic sound installations, choreography and video art.

«Transposition» is about capturing the emotional and psychological journey of exile, the loss of home and the search for a new identity. The starting point is the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, which led to the forced displacement of more than 6 million Ukrainians and more than 2 million Russians. «Transposition» is based on the forced emigration of pianist Maria Nemtsova and saxophonist Vitali Vatulja from Russia in 2022 as a result of their anti-war stance. Their emigration is placed in a universal framework of identity, resilience, adaptation and starting a new life in the Netherlands. «Transposition» has been selected for participation in the ‘Amsterdam Fringe Festival 2025‘.

For more information: musicbridges.nl 

Biography makers

Transposition brings together a visionary team of international artists working at the intersection of music, theater, and visual art. The project is directed by Vladlena Sandu, an award-winning filmmaker and theater maker born in Crimea, whose work explores war trauma, identity, and memory. After leaving Russia in 2022 due to her anti-war stance, she settled in Amsterdam, where she continues to create art.
The libretto was written by Alina Kotova and Vladlena Sandu. Alina Kotova is a theatre director and multidisciplinary artist whose work explores and reimagines the boundaries of contemporary opera, blending experimental forms with a sharp sensitivity to the historical urgency of the present moment.

The musical heart of the project is VitaDuo – saxophonist Vitaly Vatulya and pianist Maria Nemtsova – a celebrated chamber ensemble known for blending classical performance with socially engaged programming. They are founders of Music for Peace and Re:FormersFest, using music to connect communities across conflict zones.
Acclaimed Dutch composer JacobTV (Jacob ter Veldhuis) contributes his powerful «boombox» compositions – known for fusing speech, electronics, and live instrumentation – bringing an emotional and rhythmic pulse to the work.
Ukrainian choreographer Konstantin Koval, based in Amsterdam, creates movement grounded in migration and resilience, while renowned costume designer Anna Chistova enhances the performance’s visual language with emotionally charged aesthetics.
Together, the collective behind Transposition merges lived experience with experimental form to create an urgent, cross-cultural performance about exile, belonging, and artistic survival.

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E-mail: mnemtsova@gmail.com

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