“Earlier this month, I, like the rest of the world, was totally devastated by the war in Ukraine. I wanted to help the people of Ukraine and volunteer my time to make music for a benefit that would totally support the humanitarian crisis. After putting a call out on social media, Megan Gillis reached out to me. I started working with City Lyric Opera this past Fall and played some rehearsals for Cendrillon. I remembered very much enjoying my experience and was happy to reconnect with Megan on this project,” Jarrar told OperaWire. “This performance features Ukrainian music alongside my original compositions and favorites of the standard operatic repertoire. Alongside the Ukrainian national anthem, I will improvise on Ukrainian folk themes. The singers on the program (Natalie Polito, Rebecca Sacks, Joshua Collier, and Timothy Madden), are wonderful artists and people, and I love making music with them. It’s a pleasure to put this concert together and volunteer my time for a cause I am very eager to help.”