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\"I felt so numb after Nathalie's murder. It was so shocking it was almost impossible to comprehend,\" Hopkins said in a statement. \"But Margaret's words and Jake's music have opened a door, and stepping through it has allowed me to access all my complicated feelings surrounding Nathalie's death.\"

This is not the first time Atwood's words have inspired music: \"The Handmaid's Tale\" was made into an opera by composer Poul Ruders, with a libretto by Paul Bentley, in 2000. Heggie, too, is no stranger to converting powerful words and stories into powerful music; he wrote the opera \"Dead Man Walking,\" based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean, with a libretto by playwright Terrence McNally.

\"Songs for Murdered Sisters\" was released in early March, to align with International Women's Day on Monday.

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