By Eva Trieger
SOLANA BEACH, California — Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. We’re all familiar with the larger than life variety: Superman, The Hulk and that ilk. However, one heroine stands out as a giant, despite her unassuming, diminutive stature. Irena Sendler, at only 4’11” was undoubtedly a hero. Sendlerowa, a Polish nurse and social worker may not have fit the prototype for a hero, but her deeds leave no doubt as to this description.
It is believed that Sendler personally rescued 500 Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto and arranged for 2000 more to be placed in convents, orphanages or with non-Jewish families during WWII. She forged documents and gave each child a new, non-Jewish identity. Then, she set about getting them safely housed with receptive, sympathetic gentile families.
When interviewed, friends said that Irena was always one to help and to reach out when she saw a person in need, regardless of his religion. She stated that this was a trait she learned from her father, a physician who cared for impoverished Jews in Warsaw. To date, there have been plays, Life in a Jar, television film, Female Schindler, and Broadway play, Irena’s Vow. Now, thanks to a collaborative effort between Megan Cavallari and John McHughes, an operetta is due to open in Spring 2017 to celebrate Irena Sendler once more.
It took a few attempts to actually get a telephone interview with the very busy Cavallari, but we finally arranged a call and the wait was well worth it!
Megan Cavallari is a woman of many diverse talents and interests. She has been composing film scores since the age of 15, and has not stopped since. Cavallari has written music for over 25 television shows and worked with scores of well-known film and television personalities including Danny Elfman, Jerry Goldsmith and Edward Shearmur. Other musicians with whom she has collaborated feature Steve Vai, Ann Marie Calhoun, Mike Lang, Sid Page and Federico Ramos.
Cavallari carries two degrees from NYU. Majoring in Music Composition and minoring in Lyric Writing, put her in good stead, as did taking Film classes with Film majors. Through several synergistic connections, Cavallari has written scores for over nine feature films and 16 critically acclaimed musicals. But that’s not all this creative woman has got going for her.
The aforementioned venues are not unusual places to find the efforts of a musician and composer. But the ice hockey rink? Yes, you read that correctly. Cavallari has been an avid fan since her childhood in Philadelphia, where she rooted for the Flyers. However, bench warming wasn’t enough for this dynamo! Today, the diminutive Cavallari, dons 35 pounds of hockey gear and skates with the Men’s League as left wing. She earned the nickname “Skeeter” and deftly deflects pucks, when she is not composing theme music for the LA Kings or Hershey Bears ice hockey teams.
Another major accomplishment is Cavallari’s Talk Foundation Project. Under the guidance of Rabbi Laura Geller, Cavallari became involved with the “Mensch Group” at a Jewish Federation luncheon. Raising a daughter with juvenile arthritis, Megan wanted to champion children who were fighting diseases over which they had no control. To achieve this, she created the foundation that serves children and teens. Cavallari visits hospitalized children and provides them an outlet. “I want to shine a light in a very dark place.” The composer told me that when “you listen to a child, you give him integrity. You can cry in your car on the way home.” Cavallari would like to get into a hospital for recording these important, poignant conversations.
Currently a compelling project is the operetta detailing the life of Irena Sendler, with a projected opening of spring 2017. Irena’s story will be told in its entirety, from her rescuing Jewish children, giving them new identities while burying their true names in jars in her backyard, to her eventual arrest and torture at the hands of the Nazis.
Sendler’s story spoke to Cavallari because of her own ethnic roots. The daughter of a Russian Jewish mother and Italian Catholic father exposed her to the richness of both religions. Her father embraced the Jewish holidays and celebrated his wife’s rituals. Both parents shared similar values. Cavallari excitedly reported that though her own upbringing was secular, her daughter will be bat mitzvahed and currently attends a Jewish day school.
Cavallari found a kindred spirit in Irena Sendler, and told me that after reading a piece in a Jerusalem newspaper where she saw a photo of Sendler, flanked by hundreds of people, she had an epiphany. “One person can make such a difference in the scariest of times. If we stand idle, we are the problem; if we don’t get involved, we are the problem. “ Cavallari wants to be a part of the solution.
For more information on this artist visit http://megancavallari.com
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Trieger is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)