CONTEMPO OFF ‘25

“EFEMERAI”

EGLĖ JASAITYTĖ

Biodegradable art installation | permanent display

A fully compostable exhibition made from coffee grounds and organic materials. The term “efemerai” refers to fragile, fleeting plants. Sculptural flowers eventually decompose, returning to nourish the soil.

Eglė Jasaitytė is an artist who seeks to reduce waste in her creative process and demonstrate that what ends up in the trash can blossom into a new form.

“KASA KOSA KOLTŪNAS”

BEATRIČĖ ZAVECKAITĖ, ANNA FEDORONCHUK

Research-based dance | 40 min. | Main Hall

Not a finished piece, but more like an ongoing process of archaeological excavation. What’s “behind us” — both physically and psychologically? Entering through the back, into a reverse, inverted world — the irrational, subconscious part of humanity. Re-establishing a connection with the past, which gently pushes us forward. Lithuanian and Ukrainian mythology intertwine.

Anna Fedoronchuk is a dancer and performer from Odesa; Beatričė Zaveckaitė discovered dance and theatre in Italy. They met in Brussels at the P.A.R.T.S. contemporary dance school, where they began exploring specific dance techniques as well as somatic sensations and associations. The duo works in the fields of choreography, body practices, and photography.

“THE WOMAN WITH A STONE IN HER MOUTH”

GRETA GUDELYTĖ

Interdisciplinary performance | 1 hour | Small Hall

When “witches” were buried, their severed hands and heads were placed at the foot of the grave, and a stone was stuffed into their mouths… so they would not curse their executioners or reveal their visions.

This powerful work uses sound and visual media to confront historical crimes against women in Lithuania, spanning from the 19th to the 21st century. Inspired by ritualistic witch-burial practices, the performance centres the stone as a metaphor for silenced female voices. Four independent female artists explored crimes against women in Lithuania from the 19th to the 21st centuries as part of their creative process. They met with women, listened to their experiences, and invited them to pose for a portrait.

Directors: Greta Gudelytė, Eglė Kazickaitė Composer: Toma Čepaitė Dramaturg: Greta Gudelytė Photographer: Aušra Volungė Griškonytė

“THE SAILOR”

LUKAS BUTKUS, JONAS KUPREVIČIUS

Chamber opera | 90 min. | Main Hall

A meditation on the nature of dreams and reality. Three sisters keep vigil at the urn of their fourth, deceased sister. They recall moments they never experienced and dream of a Sailor on a deserted island… Or perhaps the sisters themselves are someone’s fictional creation?

Based on the “unstageable” and only play by Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa, Jonas Kuprevičius and Lukas Butkus use the minimalist devices of a chamber opera to create a poetic interplay between text and the spirit of Baroque music. This is not just an opera, but also an opportunity to cross the boundaries between dream and reality.

Director: Jonas Kuprevičius Composer: Lukas Butkus Costume Designer: Elena Marija Veleckaitė Performers: Salomėja Petronytė, Liepa Ribokaitė, Ūla Marija Zemeckytė, and Ignas Ščesnulevičius. The work was developed as part of the “MMLAB Erdvė” project. Sponsored by UAB “Ivabaltė”.

“45TH FROST”

DOMANTAS PŪRAS

Contemporary oratorio | 50 min. | Small Hall

An authentic story told by a survivor of Soviet repression — Algirdas Pūras. His voice recalls the deportation to Siberia, the partisan resistance, NKVD torture, and painful personal struggles. Sound, diffusing through the space as an emotional axis, moves through layers of historical and personal memory. Felt almost physically. Living memory, to reflect on the wounds of collective trauma and their resonance today.

Domantas Pūras is a contemporary music composer whose artistic practice balances between acoustic and electronic music, between conceptualism and sensitive sound design. Focusing on sound structure, spatiality, and narrative forms, he often combines vocal, instrumental, and electronic layers into a cohesive musical dramaturgy. His works have been presented at festivals and events such as “Gaida”, “Nobel Week Lights” and “Druskomanija”, as well as in other international projects.

“LONGING”

JUSTINA MYKOLAITYTĖ, GODO YORKE

Musical performance | 40 min. | Backyard

This experimental duo offers its own interpretation of music composed more than four centuries ago. Antonio Cesti, Claudio Monteverdi, and Antonio Vivaldi — three arias accompanied by the nostalgic sounds of an electric guitar. Baroque bel canto vocals alternate with improvisations and elements of pop music, creating a dialogue between the old and the new, the classical and the authentic, the masterful and the experimental.

Justina Mykolaitytė is an artist, actress, and performer. Her work is multidisciplinary — voice, music, movement, acting, visual art, and improvisation.

Godo Yorke (Goda Sasnauskaitė) is a performer and songwriter known on the Lithuanian alternative music scene. Her emotional intensity and experimental approach blend avant-pop, alternative pop, and jazz. She performs as a solo artist, collaborates with the St. John’s Gospel Choir, and performs in both intimate venues and on major stages.

CONTEMPO OFF